


Sonnet of Survival

by TwilaFrost



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Airplane Crashes, Explicit Language, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Implied Sexual Content, Islands, M/M, Mild Blood, Minor Character Death, Minor Injuries, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, POV Alternating, Post-Time Skip, Rainforests, Survival, Volleyball, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26275561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilaFrost/pseuds/TwilaFrost
Summary: The Men's Japan National Volleyball Team is headed to Australia for a match. However, they never arrive, as their plane goes down somewhere in the ocean. Now they are stranded on an unknown island. With a jungle full of potential dangers and not enough supplies to go around, the team will have to find ways to survive.-----Deserted Island Survival AU
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 282
Kudos: 538
Collections: Fics That Should Be Adored and Loved





	1. Air Meets Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome! I'm not sure is this kind of fic is something that people will be interested in, but I wanted to give it a go. Leaving your thoughts is definitely appreciated! 
> 
> ***There is a plane crash in this. It's not really graphic, but just a warning.

“Three fives,” Shouyou says, laying three cards face down to the pile on the table. He smirks internally, maintaining his poker face. There’s no way Kageyama will be able to resist. 

“Bullshit!” The setter predictably exclaims. 

Turning to face the man seated next to him, Shouyou mischievously smiles and turns over the cards to reveal three fives. 

“Are you kidding me?!” Kageyama moodily scoops up the entire card pile into his now overflowing hand.

Sitting across from the duo, Bokuto and Atsumu cackle with glee. “My disciple is unstoppable!” The owl haired man hoots. 

Shouyou leans back into his cushy black, leather seat in satisfaction. It never gets old winning against his favorite rival. While Kageyama tries to organize his hand, Shouyou glances out the plane’s window to watch the rain. It’s really starting to pick up.

The Men’s Japan National Volleyball Team is currently en-route to Sydney, Australia to play the Australian team. Kuroo and Iwaizumi are also along for the ride. They get to use a charter jet for the trip, so everyone is traveling in comfort. 

Before Bokuto can attempt his turn, the plane shakes with a strong bout of turbulence. Atsumu grips his armrest like his life depends on it. 

“Whoa, that was a big one!” Bokuto turns to his left. “You okay there Tsum-Tsum?” 

“I hate flyin’! It’s unnatural! Omi-Omi made me all paranoid ‘bout it earlier because he was stressin’ out. And now look at him!” Atsumu points across the aisle where Sakusa looks to be in a state of tranquil relaxation with his headphones, sleep mask, and chair reclined. Komori sits across from the sleeping man, looking amused at the exchange.

As Shouyou opens his mouth to respond, there’s a ding to announce the captain will be speaking. “Attention everyone, we appear to be passing through a forming storm cell. Moderate turbulence is expected. Please return your seats to the upright position and fasten your seat belts.”

Atsumu smirks and throws a neck pillow at Sakusa’s head, which disrupts his sleep mask and headphones. He glares at the culprit, “What the hell, Miya?” 

“Captain said ta sit up. Plus ya looked too damn comfortable.”

Sakusa grumbles something to himself but compiles. Shouyou sometimes doesn’t understand their relationship. But then again, a lot of people don’t really understand him and Kageyama either. Said man is obediently packing the cards back in their box so they don’t spill everywhere. Shouyou smiles at the act. He looks so focused at something so small. 

A sudden drop wipes away Atsumu’s smug look as he grabs Bokuto’s arm. Shouyou feels a swoop in his stomach. Bleh. Another drop causes the cabin to rumble. It’s a good thing his bowels aren’t as touchy as they were in high school. 

“Moderate turbulence my ass! Omi, lemme come sit next to ya.”

“You’re the one who moved in the first place,” Sakusa says flatly, though he seems just as anxious.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Tsum-Tsum? What if you get thrown around or something?” Bokuto looks genuinely worried. 

Unbuckling his seat belt, Atsumu waves him off and attempts to shuffle into the seat he had vacated prior to their card game. As he starts crossing the aisle, the plane shakes violently and drops again. Sakusa reaches out to grab him and pulls Atsumu into the seat next to him. Atsumu hastily buckles himself back in with wide eyes. 

Shouyou hears someone screaming in excitement and turns to see Hoshiumi with his arms up like he’s on a roller coaster. He’s not even surprised. Ushiwaka sits beside him, calmly reading a manga. Shouyou raises an eyebrow at that. He didn’t peg him as a manga kind of guy. 

Kageyama lightly touching his arm regains his attention. He looks tense wearing that constipated look of his. Shouyou can tell he’s nervous but is trying to hide it. The constant shaking is rather uncomfortable. 

A flash of lightning right outside the window catches his attention along with the loud boom that quickly follows. The cabin lights flicker for a moment. Tension in the air is palpable. He presses himself further into his seat. His stomach has that _whoosh_ feeling.

When the lights begin flickering again, the team experiences the largest drop yet. Several of the cabin occupants let out surprised noises. Shouyou clutches Kageyama’s hand and braces himself with the table with the other. _Holy shit!_ The violent shaking causes his body to rock back and forth. He can hear their carry-on luggage jostling in the bins overhead. 

A few more large drops cause oxygen masks to deploy. They all scramble to put them on. Oh shit, oh shit. Shouyou reclaims Kageyama’s hand to help ground himself. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. 

A ding is barely heard over the rattling of the plane. “Attention everyone, prepare yourselves for an emergency sea landing.”

A what now?! Shouyou’s eyes widen into saucers. This isn’t a seaplane! In front of him, Bokuto’s face is white as a sheet. They’re going to die. They’re all going to die. He only got to play in the Olympics once! It’s too soon!

He feels the plane making its descent, and dares a peek out the window to the angry, dark waves below that are quickly approaching. They’re going to drown. Oh god, they’re going to drown! He snaps his head back to the front. Oh man, that was a bad decision. 

Kageyama squeezes his hand. Shouyou turns to him slightly and tries to flash a smile. But he knows his eyes only read _panic_ in all caps. 

A hard jolt throws him forward, but he’s kept in his chair by his seat belt. He’s pulled in what feels like every direction. Carry-ons fall from overhead. He hears screaming. And some of it might be him screaming, too. The plane bobs under the water, then back up as waves crash over and against it. The cabin lights are completely off. Only emergency lights along the seats give off any form of illumination. The plane continues to be jostled in the stormy sea. 

“Shouyou, are you alright?” He feels Kageyama’s hands on him, feeling him over for injuries. 

“I- I think so,” he mutters. Is he dead? Is he alive? He’s not really sure at the moment. He turns to see Kageyama’s deep blue eyes filled with worry. He must be alive. Pulling off his oxygen mask he embraces Kageyama. Oh, thank God. 

“Is everyone alright?” He hears Kuroo’s voice. “Is anyone injured?” 

“There’s something wrong with Coach!” Someone yells. He thinks it’s Hyakuzawa. 

Iwaizumi stands and uses the backs of everyone’s seats to make his way over to their coach, who is slumped in his seat. When he reaches the man, Iwaizumu checks for a pulse. “He’s dead.” There are several audible gasps. Oh fuck. Is everyone else alright? “I’m going to check on the pilot,” the trainer says and makes his way awkwardly to the cockpit. 

“What about everyone else?” Kuroo asks. There is a chorus of weak affirmatives. Everyone seems to be in shock. Kuroo looks back to Iwaizumi who has reappeared. The man shakes his head. “Fuck,” he runs a hand through his messy hair. 

“The cockpit window is leaking. We need to get off the airplane,” Iwaizumi states.

And how in the hell are they supposed to do that? His thoughts seem to be mirrored by several others as murmurs begin to rise. Bokuto is unusually quiet. So is Atsumu. He and Sakusa are still clinging to each other in fear. 

Ushijima suddenly stands, “All aircrafts are equipped with emergency kits and rafts, are they not?” Let it be known that Ushiwaka is the voice of reason in this mess. He doesn’t even seem phased. Has this happened to him before? Is he a stone pillar of unshakeable stability? 

Kuroo, Iwaizumi, and Ushijima seem to be the most capable at the moment, so Shouyou leaves them to it. Meanwhile, he looks out the window. It’s partially underwater due to the rough waves. The impact may not have killed them, but drowning is still a full possibility. 

So here they are: Japan’s national volleyball team bobbing in the ocean (God knows where) with two dead bodies in a non-functioning plane. 

A large swell assaults the plane, causing a loud unnatural groan to be heard as it's bent in ways it’s not designed for. A back window audibly cracks, letting water trickle inside the cabin. Atsumu is now crying loudly as everyone else's panic starts to rise. The waves will end up tearing the plane apart. Is this it? Is this how they die? 

“Everyone, listen up!” Kuroo shouts trying to gain hold of the chaos. “We’re going to deploy the raft. Grab anything useful and get ready!”

That’s how the team finds themselves gathering random items. With the low lighting, it’s difficult to see, and people are bumping into each other. The constant rocking of the bobbing plane is only adding to the predicament. Unfortunately, their luggage is a lost cause. Only anything they brought inside the cabin is salvageable. Iwaizumi manages to find a survival kit and first aid kit thankfully. Maybe they’ll manage for a bit. Then they are bracing themselves for water that’s sure to slosh its way in as the door is opened. 

Shouyou’s only ever seen the yellow slide rafts in the little pamphlets the flight attendant usually goes over. Never did he think he’d be seeing one in person. It violently moves with the waves and wind as Iwaizumi and Kuroo try to keep it still. When all fourteen of them manage to climb aboard, the current carries them farther and farther away from their crash site. Was this really the best idea? 

Cold rain drenches them and waves breach over the sides of the raft. The rain is thick and obscures their vision. However, they think they see an outline of a landmass. While it may seem useless to try and paddle against Mother Nature, the team is full of relentless monsters. They aren’t called the Monster Generation for nothing. 

Using the four paddles they have, Ushijima, Bokuto, Iwaizumi, and Ojirou row with all their might. Anyone not equipped with a paddle tries to help with anything they can. Yaku is using a tray he must have grabbed from the plane. Komori, bless his soul, is trying futilely to help with just his hands. 

Shouyou can’t feel his fingers. His chattering teeth and shaking body are only an afterthought with land in sight. But how far away is it? Maybe it’s just an illusion.

After what must be hours of paddling, they’re exhausted. The land doesn’t seem to be any closer either. The wind, waves, and currents have crushed them into humiliating defeat. Even trading off with each other to keep stamina is hopeless. They’re cold, wet, tired; they’re just plain miserable. 

Shouyou leans his head back against the raft and closes his eyes. Well, it was a good run. Maybe they’ll make a movie of the tragic tale that befell them. He can’t even feel the rain on his face anymore. The cold has completely numbed his senses. There’s a vague idea in his mind that Kageyama is huddled next to him. Shouyou is so tired, he can only shift his eyeballs to glance over. Kageyama's mouth is moving. Is he saying something? Shouyou doesn’t know. 

There’s a pressure on his face. Oh, it’s Kageyama’s hand. Why does he look so worried? Shouyou’s eyelids feel so heavy. Maybe if he takes a nap he’ll feel better. 

There’s something surrounding him. It’s everywhere. It’s not exactly warm, but he can feel his body drinking in any heat given. Groggily opening his eyes, he finds himself in the center of what can only be described as a team cuddle puddle. Everyone is stripped down to just their undergarments to share as much skin contact as possible for warmth. Shouyou notices that Kageyama is completely wrapped around him. 

He tries to shift around to see if anyone else is awake. Or alive. Oh God, is everyone alive?! He struggles against Kageyama’s iron embrace harder, waking the other man. 

Kageyama grumbles before realizing what woke him. His eyes shoot open, “Shouyou!” The man squeezes the spiker even tighter. “I was so worried.”

“We all were,” Bokuto says from somewhere in the pile. 

“What happened?” Shouyou is finally released, so he looks around. It appears to be early morning, as the sun is just peeking over the horizon. The storm is thankfully over. It’s almost peaceful. The landmass that may have been in his imagination is definitely real, and it appears much closer than before.

“You passed out. Iwaizumi said something about hypothermia, so this happened,” Kageyama gestures around. 

Others begin to wake or become more alert with the semblance of chatter around them. Shouyou turns his attention back to the land. It’s dense with green trees and stretches in either direction. Where are they?

There’s an unspoken agreement to begin paddling again. Their only hope for survival is to reach land. Making their way closer, Shouyou can see colorful coral reefs in the blue, blue water. If he wasn’t in survival mode, he’d think it’s pretty. 

Finally, the bottom of the raft drags against sand. The boys climb out on weary legs and haul the raft all the way onto the shore with a definitive effort. Almost everyone then collapses onto the beach. Sakusa clings to the side of the raft to stay upright, while Atsumu is laying flat on his back in a starfish position. They made it. Somehow they actually made it! They lived through a plane crash, braced against a storm in a dinky raft, didn’t drown, and now they’re here!

Now what?


	2. Welcome to the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiyoomi, Atsumu, Hinata, and Kageyama venture into the jungle in search of a fresh water source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy that there seems to be positive interest! So here we are with the next chapter because I'm impatient. 😆
> 
> 🤗Survival Tip: Bamboo is an extremely useful and versatile plant in survival situations. It can be used to build shelter, make cord, make other useful tools for quality of life, and be used as a temporary water source!

Kiyoomi considers himself a realist, but everything about the current situation is unreal. Never in his life did he think he’d actually be stranded on some deserted island in the middle of the damn ocean. He doesn’t hate nature by any means, but he isn’t what you’d call an outdoor enthusiast. One thing he does hate though? Sand. And it’s fucking everywhere. Unfortunately, the itch of sand covering his legs and steadily working its way into unsavory places is not a top priority right now. 

They have mostly recovered from their various states of shock. Bokuto wailed about never seeing Akaashi again for God knows how long. So now everyone is currently unpacking their carry-on bags that they managed to bring on the raft. They’re taking inventory on what gear they have. Iwaizumi finding the survival kit in time is great and all, but it’s not designed to sustain this many people. He’s not counting on many more useful items to be found, especially when he sees Hinata pull out a volleyball. 

Going through his own bag, he mournfully pulls out his waterlogged book. He hadn’t even finished it yet. He opens it and lays it in the sand. Maybe it’ll be readable when it dries out. He won’t hold his breath. The majority of his personal items consist of toiletries, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer. Hoshiumi snorts in amusement at Kiyoomi’s addition to their gear, and he glares at him. When Seagull Boy gets an infection, he’ll have the last laugh. 

Next to him, Atsumu is pulling out his assortment of snacks. He has that dumb pouty look on his face as he relinquishes them to the food pile. It’s all junk food. Kiyoomi doesn’t know he got those past Coach’s radar in the first place. Ah, right. He’s no longer with them. Iwaizumi said earlier that he probably had a heart attack. It’s unfortunate, but not all that surprising. When Atsumu also pulls out hand sanitizer and wipes, he can’t help but quirk his lips in fondness. 

A bit away from their main supplies is an assortment of electronics. It’s a sad reminder that there's no signal here to call for help. He doesn’t know if anyone would even be able to use some of the parts to make some kind of radio. Is that even possible? 

All in all, they’re pretty fortunate they have supplies in the first place. No one appears to be seriously injured either. However, if they don’t find freshwater, they’re all going to die. Sure they could use seawater and separate the salt from it, but does anyone know how? Kiyoomi does in theory but in practice? Not so much. One fortunate thing is that they all seem to have their water bottle in some form of fullness. At least it’s something.

Iwaizumi stands and claps his hands once, “Alright. So our next priorities should be a reliable water source and shelter. We have matches so a fire will be no problem.”

“What about food? ‘M starvin’!” Atsumu complains.

“Well, there’s some survival rations here and whatever food everyone had in their bags,” Kuroo says. “Otherwise, we’ll need to rely on the ocean. Anyone good at fishing?” 

Atsumu groans and flops on his back. Kiyoomi scrunches his nose in disgust. The sand. It has to be everywhere. 

“I can help assemble the shelter,” Wakatoshi volunteers. “I do enjoy the occasional wilderness trip.” Somehow that doesn’t surprise Kiyoomi at all.

“Great! Now how about a volunteer for water hunting?” Kuroo looks around with forced enthusiasm. He’s not fooling anyone. 

Kiyoomi realizes what’s about to happen a second too late and isn’t fast enough to stop Atsumu from hopping up, “I’ll go!” Goddammit. “You’ll come with me, right Omi-Omi?”

“No way in hell.” There’s no way he’s stepping foot into that jungle. Who knows what’s in there. Atsumu can sit his happy ass right back down and stay here where he’s not going to fucking die. 

“I’ll go with you Atsumu-san!” Hinata pops up next to them. This can’t be happening. They’re both idiots. They’ll die. 

Before Kiyoomi can protest, another voice joins the fray. “Dumbass! You’re not going in there!” Kageyama stomps his way over. Well, at least someone is using their brain. 

“Then come with us!” 

“I was planning on it.” He spoke too soon.

Then they turn to Kiyoomi. Atsumu and Hinata give him those big puppy eyes that absolutely have no effect on Kiyoomi. None at all… For fucks sake. Did he offend someone in a past life? Is he cursed? Has he suddenly gone insane? Either way, Kiyoomi accepts his fate. “Fine. Someone with common sense has to go with you morons.”

Atsumu and Hinata cheer while he and Kagayama share a look. At least someone shares his sentiment. 

They’re equipped with two backpacks, water bottles, water pouches, purification tablets, some food, and a flashlight. They also have a pocket knife. Like that will actually protect them from anything in there. Kiyoomi douses himself in the bug spray that’s in the survival kit. Not today parasite-ridden insects. 

Before they journey into the unknown, Atsumu starts looking around the jungle’s edge. “What are you doing?” He’s not in the mood for nonsense. 

Kiyoomi doesn’t get a response until Atsumu breaks off a decent sized tree limb. “I’m makin’ a spear!” He starts to sharpen an end with the pocket knife. 

“And what exactly do you need a spear for?”

“To protect ya, of course!” He shoots Kiyoomi a wide grin. It’s extremely crude looking, and it’s probably not actually very useful, but he doesn’t say anything. How can he when Atsumu looks so cute and sincere?

Instead, Kiyoomi rolls his eyes and grabs a rock so he can scratch some sort of marker on the trees they pass. He is absolutely not getting lost in the jungle. And he knows these simpletons won’t think about marking their path to find their way back. 

Then their trek begins. As the canopy gets thicker, blocking out more and more sunlight, Kiyoomi feels actual dread creep up his spine. They’re not following any sort of trail, because there isn’t one. It’s all just green, green, green. The air is thick with humidity; it’s suffocating. The dense foliage only adds to the feeling of claustrophobia. He can already feel beads of sweat running down his neck. And the way the roots on some of the trees grow unnaturally like they are slithering into the ground unnerves him.

Strange sounds echo around them, and Kiyoomi hopes it’s just some kind of weird bird. This is probably the worst decision he’s ever made in his life. He willingly stepped into this hellhole. Kiyoomi hates these feelings of uncertainty. But could he have handled the feeling of Atsumu in here without him?

“So does anyone have an idea of where we actually landed?” Hinata suddenly asks.

Trying to get his mind off of his surroundings, Kiyoomi thinks a moment before answering. “Probably somewhere in Oceania.”

“Wah! That sounds all mysterious! Like a secret island or something!” Hinata is way too excited about this in Kiyoomi’s opinion. 

“Omi, where exactly is Oceania again? I’m assumin’ it’s in the ocean, right?” 

Kiyoomi rolls his eyes at Atsumu’s geographic illiteracy, though he’s not technically wrong. Marking another tree he answers, “It’s a region that includes Australia and a bunch of the surrounding islands to its northeast.”

Thinking about that reminds him of how close they were to their destination. Someone had to be looking for them, right?

Continuing on their trek, Kiyoomi wonders if they will actually find freshwater. How big is this island? Is there even a freshwater source on it? How long are they expected to search? How much daylight is left? What comes out in the night? Kiyoomi needs to calm down.

Calming down is a hard task in the middle of the fucking jungle. Every step he takes over strange plants and vines is a reminder of where he is right now. Even Hinata’s idle chattering is not enough to drown out the constant buzzing of insects. It’s like they're trying to nest in his ears! But every time he goes to swipe something away, there’s nothing there. Deep jungle paranoia? Check. 

Up ahead is a dense cluster of plants. They can either venture through or change directions. Neither is appealing. 

“C’mon, let’s just wack our way through like Indiana Jones!” Atsumu waves his spear around to mimic this idea. 

However, Kiyoomi is having none of it. “So how do you plan on ‘wacking your way through’ without a machete?” Atsumu gives pause at that. As he contemplates a rebuttal, something bright red on a leaf near Atsumu’s head catches Kiyoomi’s attention. His eyes widen suddenly before he yanks Atsumu’s dumb ass far away from the creature. 

“What the hell Omi-kun?” He stumbles over some roots but manages not to fall. Kiyoomi just points in terror. The other three men follow his finger to look. “What in the fuckin’ hell is that?!”

“Oh, God, I hate it!” Hinata screeches and clings to Kageyama, who just curls his nose. 

Kiyoomi can’t stop staring at it. It’s a spider. But it’s not an ordinary-looking spider. No, of course not. It’s some freaky, disgusting jungle amalgamation of a spider. It has this bright red… thing… on its back. It honestly looks kind of like the Batman symbol. He wants to look away, but he’s afraid if he does it will suddenly be right in front of his face. Kiyoomi doesn’t even have arachnophobia! Okay, that’s a lie. Maybe he does. 

It quickly becomes a mutual decision that they will, in fact, not wack their way through.

After that encounter, it’s like they can’t stop seeing disgusting creepy crawlies everywhere. Kiyoomi feels queasy again thinking about the centipede he saw. This whole place is fucked. He doesn’t even trust the butterflies. The food they ate a bit ago must be attracting all the bugs. Is that heavy-duty bug spray working at all?

They’ve been walking for what must be a few hours when Kageyama suddenly stops, “Do you hear that?”

Everyone stops to listen. It’s faint, but Kiyoomi hears it. “Is that rushing water?”

The others seem to agree and the mood instantly feels lighter. Their pace increases to an almost jog if it weren’t for fear of tripping on the underbrush. Soon the four men come upon a small waterfall flowing into what appears to be a river. 

It’s exquisitely underwhelming. It’s not some big majestic waterfall with a secret cave behind it with a big blue lagoon; it’s a short cascading waterfall and the water is brown. Gross. At least they found something.

Atsumu seems extremely disappointed, pointing his spear at the scene with disdain. “What is this?! This is supposed ta be a beautiful island paradise! Not some mud pit!”

“Shut up, Miya. We found what we came for, let’s just fill up what we brought and get back.” Kiyoomi is hot, sweaty, anxious, and tired. He doesn’t want to add a headache to that list. 

Hinata is shooting the river a weary look. “Is that water really safe to drink? Like will those little tablets clean that?”

Kiyoomi doesn’t know. He doesn’t want to think about it in all honesty. It’s a sad fact at this point that he will be subjected to drinking it eventually.

“Guess we’ll find out.” Kageyama is the only one who doesn’t seem to give a shit. Kiyoomi wishes he could be the same. 

“Well, if ya scrubs actually read the little package, it’s for purification not cleaning. So we needta filter it first.” Atsumu says, shaking the package he just pulled out and read. “Also it has ta sit for four hours before ya can drink it.” How the hell are they supposed to know when it’s been four hours? Guess it’ll be good enough by the time they get back if they start the treatment now.

They pull out the bottles and pouches they brought with them to fill and take off their shirts to use as a filter. As they approach the water’s edge, Hinata stops, “Wait. There aren’t like piranhas in there right?”

“Pretty sure those’re only in the Amazon, Shouyou-kun,” Atsumu reassures. Hinata seems to accept his answer.

It takes a few times through a shirt, but they are able to get the water to look relatively clear. It’s not perfect, but it’s miles better than it was before. Kiyoomi still detests the idea of drinking it. 

Once they fill what they can and drop in the appropriate amount of tablets, they get ready for the trek back. Kageyama and Atsumu volunteer to carry the backpacks. Though the blonde complains that _“water has no right to be this heavy.”_ Water is incredibly dense, Kiyoomi supposes. 

Unfortunately, the river they found leads deeper into the jungle, so they can’t even follow it back to the beach for a quicker route back to camp. So they have to follow all the marks Kiyoomi made along the way. He hopes they aren’t hard to find. 

Regrettably, finding the exact trees that are marked is much more time consuming than he hoped. It appears they did not walk in a very good straight line at all. There’s no consistency. They’re looking for the next mark when Kiyoomi sees an orange blur in his peripheral.

“Oh! Look at that!” Hinata runs over to a tree with an outstretched finger. 

“Don’t go running towards it!” Kageyama scolds him.

Kiyoomi looks over to see some type of lizard sitting on a low hanging tree branch. The thing is at least a foot long from head to tail, covered in yellow-green scales with pale green markings that look almost like stripes. Its beady yellow eyes seem to judge their group. 

“Look at him! He’s so cool!” Hinata is still pointing, finger basically in the thing’s face. It’s going to bite his fucking finger off. Then he’s going to bleed and then he’ll get an infection. Not to mention all the unsavory things that the smell of blood could lure. Oh please no.

“Get back here, Dumbass!”

The giant lizard cocks its head and seems to be assessing Hinata. Whether it’s his threat level or if he looks appetizing, Kiyoomi isn’t sure. Then it puts one of its claw-hands on Hinata’s arm. Oh fuck, this is it. He’s going to see one of his teammates die. He likes Hinata, sure, but he’s not going to touch that reptile to pull it off of him. 

Finally Atsumu speaks, “Ah that’s a skink! It’s one of those real big ones. Umm. What were they called,” he flaps his hand around trying to think. “Ah, I can’t remember. But they’re the largest skinks in the world!” A little known fact about Atsumu is that he loves animals. And like in a nerdy way. Kiyoomi has had to sit through all the episodes of Planet Earth and Blue Planet. But really, it’s actually kind of adorable.

“Wah, that’s so cool Atsumu-san!” As the two freak out over the…. Skink…. The said animal starts climbing up Hinata’s arm. “Uh, he’s not gonna like eat me, right?”

“Nah. This big guy’s an herbivore. He seems ta like ya.” 

Great, so now Hinata is walking with a giant ass lizard on his shoulder. Cool. Whatever. Kiyoomi’s over it. He’s not going to touch it, though. Who knows what kind of diseases it’s carrying. He cringes when Atsumu pats its head.

“I’m gonna name him Ace!”

Volleyball related. How typical. 

It’s when the jungle around them seems a bit darker than before that he wonders what time it is. If Kiyoomi remembers correctly, the sun looked to be at its zenith when they left. And with a rough estimate, they walked for two, maybe three hours. It’s hard to gauge underneath the canopy. Now they are on their way back. Fuck. How much daylight do they have left?

With the trees already hiding much of the sun, darkness is quickly closing in on them. Kiyoomi feels his anxiety rise once again. 

Hinata digs the flashlight they have out of the backpack Kageyama is carrying. They don’t need it quite yet, but it’s clear they will. No one is talking and focuses on finding the next marker. The ambient sounds increase in number and volume around them. It seems the rainforest becomes more lively at night. Kiyoomi is not enthused about this. Anything could be watching them out there.

“You don’t think there’s any tigers or something here, right?” Kagayama asks. Thank you for reinstating that fear Tobio. Much appreciated. 

“Well, if Omi-Omi’s right about where we are, then no.” Atsumu seems confident with his answer, so Kiyoomi accepts it.

“And if he’s not?” 

Atsumu smirks over his shoulder, “Then we have a lot more ta fear than jus’ tigers.” Hinata pales at his answer. Ugh. What an ass. 

It’s now come to the point that they have to use the flashlight. Hinata leads with Kageyama at his side and the giant ass skink still on his shoulder. They are no longer making steady progress, as pinpointing the light on the exact place and tree Kiyoomi marked is slow going. He lightly holds Atsumu’s arm so they don’t get separated. And maybe it helps him not feel so alone in this dark jungle. It’s a profound darkness that Kiyoomi has never seen before; it surrounds them. Even the flashlight struggles to penetrate the thick black walls in front of them. Atsumu is actually making use of his stupid spear by using it to make sure they don’t trip.

Finally, they see small cracks of light breaking through the leaves. Is the eternal darkness over? Are they almost back? Just a few more minutes of walking allows them to break through the dense tree line and see the beach. They made it. Oh, thank everything that is holy. He’ll never complain about the sand again. Well, for the rest of the day at least.

It’s sunset. The four men stop for a moment to gaze out at the horizon. The orange sky deepens into a scarlet red as it touches the water’s surface. The sun itself is a brilliant luminescent yellow, slightly obscured by deep maroon clouds. Tranquil dark water, lightly tinted with orange at the tips shimmers with the flow and ebb of the waves. It’s magnificent. And they are fortunate to be seeing it. The fact that they all came out of the jungle alive and unscathed seemed a thin possibility. 

Kiyoomi glances to his right to see Atsumu. He’s smiling. It’s that smile that he rarely shows to others, and maybe Kiyoomi’s been taking it for granted. But here, in the middle of no man’s land, with shades of the fiery sky reflecting in his eyes and bathed in the last hues of the day, Atsumu is devastatingly beautiful. Kiyoomi can’t look away and promises himself he’ll never take that smile for granted ever again. Sidling up next to the blonde, he takes Atsumu’s hand. Yeah, they’d all be okay.

The peaceful moment is interrupted by a shout. “Hey, hey, hey! They’re back! Their small group turns their attention to see Bokuto bounding towards them. It’s strange seeing him with his hair down and flopped over his forehead. “We were worried something happened!” Bokuto stops in front of them with a large smile. Then he seems to notice something as his eyes zero in on the lizard. Skink. Whatever. “Uh, Shou-kun, you know there’s something on your shoulder, right?”

“Yeah! This is Ace! Isn’t he cool?” He turns to proudly show off the animal that still seems perfectly content. Kiyoomi rolls his eyes. He can’t wait to see Yaku’s reaction.

While walking to their significantly improved campsite, Hinata and Atsumu regale Bokuto with their adventure. The rest of the team happily welcomes them back and are relieved they found freshwater. Kiyoomi tunes them out and takes in the surprising amount of work the team accomplished in their time away. 

There’s a campfire going in front of the shelters being built. Two small, slightly elevated lean-tos made out of bamboo and palm fronds are fully built. Wakatoshi, Hakuba, and Ojirou are working on a larger structure. Only the four corner posts and part of its elevated flooring is complete. Wakatoshi ties two stalks together with a lashing made from a piece of nylon cord. Hopefully, they don’t run out; they only have 50 feet in the kit. Kiyoomi is honestly really impressed with everything. 

Several others are working in some sort of assembly-line fashion. They look to be putting holes in the bamboo stalks and… The fuck? Is that fucking water? While he’s gawking at the clear water Yaku is pouring into a bottle directly from the plant, Motoya approaches him. 

“You should have seen Ushijima’s face when we found bamboo,” his cousin says. “Apparently it’s an extremely versatile and useful plant for survival. Who knew?” Kiyoomi nods but then points to the water. “Oh. Ushijima told us that water in each section of a bamboo stalk is a product from photosynthesis and apparently has antimicrobial properties, so it’s completely safe to drink.” 

Kiyoomi once again nods. Seeing his sour expression Motoya tries again, “It’s not very much. So it’s not like we can rely on it. So it’s great you guys were able to find a source in the jungle!” Good. Kiyoomi was about to die if he went in there for no reason. Motoya relaxes when the raven appears pacified. 

“Did you guys find anything else useful?”

Motoya nods, “Yeah. Coconuts and bananas. Hoshiumi has been climbing up the trees to get them and cut down leaves for us to use.” He then points to said man up in a tree using a stone ax to cut down fronds. Geeze, these guys even made tools? But he’s not surprised to see him up there. Kiyoomi is betting Hinata will join him tomorrow. 

Catching sight of Motoya’s pointing, Hinata joins their conversation. Kiyoomi subtly scoots away from the thing on his shoulder. “Whoa! I’m totally helping with that!” Predictable idiot. “You guys went all Dr. Stone while we were gone!”

He chuckles, “I suppose we did. We still have a ton of work to do. And we’ll need people to get more water and hunt for food. Between all of us, we’re already out.”

Unfortunately, Kiyoomi can’t really help with that. He can’t go diving for anything, because he doesn’t know how to swim. It’s not something he’s going to reveal unless his hand is forced. Only Motoya and Atsumu know. It’s embarrassing. But he grew up in Tokyo where the only place to learn is a public pool. No amount of chlorine is going to convince him to get in that cesspool. He doesn’t even want to think about the disgusting ground around the pool that people have dragged their nasty fungus growing feet over. Sure he could have learned in the ocean when he was older, but he also hates the beach and by then saw no point in learning. How was he supposed to know that at the age of twenty-five he’d be stuck on an island? 

His cousin seems to read his thoughts and turns to him, “You should ask Hyakuzawa to teach you how to weave with the coconut leaves.” Kiyoomi raises a questioning eyebrow. It appears several of his teammates possess strange skills. “He said his sister taught him,” he shrugs. Well, weaving it is then.

A load squawk is heard from above. Oh shit. Did Hoshiumi fall? The three of them and a couple of others rush over to see Hoshiumi still perfectly fine clinging to the tree but looking down at something. Then Kiyoomi sees it. What in the fresh hell is that?! Okay, he definitely has arachnophobia. It’s fucking huge! Giant legs spread out from its garnet red colored body to cover the entire tree trunk. He feels a creeping, itchy sensation all over his arms and legs. Oh gross, gross. 

“Whoa! Where’d you come from, buddy?” Bokuto asks the monster and fucking picks it up. Oh fuck, just its body is bigger than his head. Nope. Burn it. 

He sees Atsumu is one of the people who came to investigate, and Kiyoomi casually scoots his way over (behind) him. “Whatcha got there, Bokkun?”

Bokuto, the crazy bastard, tilts it slightly to get a better look at it. “I think it’s a crab.” There’s no way that thing’s a fucking crab. 

Atsumu moves forward to also inspect the creature, leaving Kiyoomi feeling rather exposed. “Oh, it’s a coconut crab,” he says simply. Kiyoomi shudders. Crab or not, he still hates it. 

“Nice! So can we eat it?” 

“Yep! This big boy is gonna taste so good,” Atsumu wiggles a finger at the creature. Kiyoomi almost hopes it will pinch him. 

Bokuto then skips away with the giant ass crab towards Kuroo who is cooking something else. He can hear them shouting “Bro!” at each other. 

As the group disperses to continue what they were doing, Atsumu turns to face Kiyoomi with a smirk on his face. “Were ya scared of that big ol’ crab, Omi?” 

“No.”

“Then why were ya tryin’ ta hide behind me?” He raises an eyebrow and approaches him.

“I was just offering to sacrifice you to it first,” he deadpans.

Atsumu loops his arms behind Kiyoomi’s neck, “Oh, so ya think I’m pretty enough ta be a sacrifice?” 

He wraps his arms around Atsumu's waist, “Well, it’s not like you’re a sacrificial virgin.” 

“Omi!” He gasps and playfully smacks Kiyoomi’s shoulder, making him smirk. Atsumu gazes into his eyes with a fond look. “Thanks for comin’ with me today. I know ya really didn’t wanna come, but I’m glad ya were there.”

“You’re welcome. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if something happened and I wasn’t there.” Kiyoomi leans in and gives Atsumu a sweet kiss on the lips. Atsumu whines when he pulls away too quickly. “Come on, let’s go see if we can get some of that stupid crab.” 

By the time darkness falls over their little camp, everyone has long been exhausted. Kiyoomi has washed himself thoroughly in the ocean with his toiletries (who’s laughing now Hoshiumi?), brushes his teeth, and feels so much better. Even though the feeling of the salt left on his skin is unpleasant, it’s bearable. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to sleep in a shelter tonight. On the bright side, everyone agreed to let the jungle trekkers take one of the lean-tos. So that’s how Kiyoomi finds himself crammed in with Atsumu, Hinata, and Kageyama. 

It’s not that bad. It could be worse. He could be like Bokuto out there on the sand. Kiyoomi is the one in the back while Kageyma takes the front. Atsumu and Hinata sleep in the middle, snuggling into their significant others respectively. As long as he doesn’t wake up with that skink sitting on him (he has no idea where Hinata left it), it should be fine.

Looking up, Kiyoomi can see the stars through small gaps in the roof. Growing up in the city didn’t allow him many opportunities to see them. Once they get camp fully running, he’ll have to stargaze with Atsumu. The other man always complains about never being able to see them in the city. 

Atsumu adjusts himself so his head rests on Kiyoomi’s chest. “Whatcha thinkin’ about?” His voice is low so as to not disturb the other occupants. 

“You,” he answers honestly.

Atsumu seems surprised but smiles softly. “Yer so cute,” he says wrapping his left arm over Kiyoomi’s stomach. Kiyoomi rolls his eyes but pulls him closer. “Goodnight, Kiyoomi. I love ya.”

“Goodnight,” Kiyoomi kisses his forehead. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are like me and have arachnophobia, don't look up the crab or weird red spider.  
> Otherwise, here is a picture of Ace!  
> 
> 
> Also, if there's a certain character's POV you'd like to see let me know!


	3. A Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto just wants to contribute. So, he does an assortment of tasks throughout the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the support. I really appreciate every comment! I'm glad you all liked Ace 🦎 He's going to be around haha. 
> 
> This chapter is Bokuto, and I have to say I love Bokuto. I swear I always fall a little bit in love with him in every fic I read. But I've never written from his perspective before, so I hope I did him justice.
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If you make a sundial and don't have a compass like the boys, you can use a stick and mark the shadows according to the sun's position throughout the day. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Where ever the stick's shadow is when the sun is at its zenith is your noon!

Koutarou wakes as the sun's morning rays begin to caress his face. The first thing he feels is heat; he’s sweating like he just played a whole volleyball match. His emergency sleeping bag crinkles as he worms his way out of it. When he frees himself, Koutarou looks down at the bright orange plastic. Well, it did its job in keeping him warm, if a bit too well. It’s a stark contrast to the night spent on the raft. 

No one else seems to be up and about yet, but that’s not surprising considering everything that has happened in the last 36 hours. However, Koutarou can’t sleep when the sun is in the sky. Some people call him a morning person, but really he’s just a person who enjoys every time of the day. Every moment spent awake is a moment with potential. Anything can happen. That’s life, and it’s exciting. So even though life has taken an unexpected turn at the moment, Koutarou is driven to keep seeing the next moment unfold.

Down farther on the left side of the shore is an outcropping of rocks. He makes his way over and chooses a relatively flat rock to sit on. Plopping down, he rests his forearms on his slightly bent knees to watch the sunrise. He wishes Keiji were here with him to see it, too. But he’s truly grateful that the other man is safe back home in Japan. He was originally supposed to come along, but the editor had to stay back due to a certain mangaka. Koutarou should get Udai a gift basket for being so unreliable with his deadlines. But now Keiji must be worried. If their positions were reversed, Koutarou would be beside himself, completely inconsolable. 

He notices someone approaching him, though they don’t announce them-self even when they sit down next to Koutarou. The person doesn’t need to, though. He already knows it’s Kuroo. His friend’s presence carries a certain tone that he’s come to recognize easily over the years. 

“You’re up early,” Koutarou turns to look at his friend, whose hair still manages to defy the laws of gravity, with an easy smile.

Kuroo is leaning back, supporting himself with his hands. “Woke up feeling like a baked potato.” 

Koutarou hums in agreement. “You know, you’ve been pretty calm about this whole thing.”

Kuroo lets out a long sigh. “I’m terrified,” he adjusts himself to sit up fully, “but I keep thinking that if I’m doing something- If I keep us moving forward we can make it through this.”

Koutarou nods, agreeing with his friend’s sentiment. Then he looks at Kuroo and asks, “Do you think they think we’re dead?” 

Kuroo knows exactly who he’s referring to when he answers, “No. They both know that we’re way too stubborn to just die. Kei would never forgive me if I did.” His friend smiles fondly as he mentions his boyfriend. 

They sit in companionable silence for a while longer before Kuroo stands. “Actually there’s something I wanted to do. Wanna help?”

Koutarou perks up at the idea of doing something. “Of course, Bro! What do you need me to do?”

“Find me twelve rocks about this big,” he makes a circle with about a 5-centimeter diameter with his fingers.

Koutarou salutes him with a smile and begins his task. He’s not sure what Kuroo is planning, but he’s sure it’s something awesome! Yesterday Ushijima really took charge with building the shelters. He was so cool knowing how to make something like that. In fact, lots of his team members are great leaders. Koutarou is an ex-captain himself, what has he done? Frowning slightly, he picks up his twelfth rock and heads over to Kuroo.

The other man is clearing an area of sand to make it flat. Laid to the side are two sticks connected by a long piece of cord and a compass. Once satisfied, Kuroo sticks one of the sticks in the middle of the area, moves away until the cord has no slack, then he walks in a circle letting the stick he’s holding draw in the sand. Taking hold of the compass, he steps into the circle to take the cord off the center stick. He then marks what Koutarou assumes is north, west, east, and south. 

His friend instructs him to place a rock on each notch. Kuroo then continues to divide the circle into twelve even sections. It looks kind of like a clock. Did they just make a clock? He shoots his friend a questioning look. “So, uh, why’d we make a sand clock?”

“It’s a sundial,” Kuroo says with a pleased expression.

“But why?” Koutarou doesn’t really understand the point.

“So we know a rough estimate of how much daylight we have left. We were all worried when Hinata, Kageyama, Atsumu, and Sakusa still weren’t back when the sun started to set last night. Now that we know how much time it takes to go to that river they found, we’ll know when it’s too late to send people out to get water. It’s way too dangerous after dark.”

See, this is something that Koutarou would have never thought about. It makes sense. His best friend is crazy smart. “Oh that’s smart!” He grins. “So how’s it work?”

Kuroo explains that they appear to be on the south side of the island, so south is towards the sea and north is the jungle. The shadow the stick casts is how they tell the time. Noon points south because they are presumably in the southern hemisphere now. 

Again, Koutarou would have never made that connection. He wants to contribute as much as he can, but he doesn’t have any cool survival skills. All he can do is carry heavy things and do something when asked. His depressive mood swings have greatly improved since high school, however, he can’t help but feel a bit inadequate in this situation.

Kuroo seems to pick up on his thoughts, “Wanna help with something else?” Nodding vigorously, he bounds after Kuroo to see what else the man is up to. 

So now Koutarou is trying to make a shovelhead by grinding one stone on another. It’s a slow process. The edges are jagged and won’t seem to smooth out no matter what he does. How did people make all that crazy stuff back in the old days? 

After some time, the stone is deemed usable. Kuroo fits it to the bamboo handle part he made and ties it together. The two men make their way slightly into the jungle where the raven says they’re going to dig in hopes of finding clay. Koutarou doesn’t question it and starts shoveling. 

He’s made a decent-sized hole when Kuroo says, “Well I’ll be damned. We actually found some.”

“We’re the best, Bro!” He cheers and raises his hand for a high-five, which is readily returned. 

They collect the dried clumps of clay and grind it up on a flat stone. Koutarou is starting to realize how useful stones really are. Kuroo brings over some seawater to hydrate it, then they each start making clay pottery. They don’t have one of those spinning table things that Koutarou has seen, so they have to pinch and mold it as best as they can. Neither of them would consider themselves artistic. 

“Bo, what is that?” Kuroo points to what Koutarou is making.

“A cooking pot like you asked me to make!”

“Why does it have ears?”

“Those are handles!” Koutarou whines when his friend bursts out into his hyena laugh. He’s trying, okay?

Between the two of them, they’re able to make a decent selection of cookware. Kuroo says that they needed something to be able to cook large quantities at once and this was his solution. Using the hole that he dug earlier as what Kuroo calls a kiln, they put in logs and set their crafts on top. Then they cover it with dried leaves, grass, and sticks. Koutarou set it on fire, then they leave it to burn out completely. 

After washing off their clay-covered arms in the ocean, they realize how hungry they are and head back to camp to see what they can scavenge. It’s much more lively when they return. According to the sundial, it appears to be around noon. It doesn’t feel like six whole hours have passed. Everyone at camp is busy working on something. Most effort seems to be going towards finishing the shelter. Both Hoshiumi and Hinata are up in the trees and appear to be competing on who can cut down leaves faster. Koutarou wishes he could join, but he knows he would most definitely end up falling on his ass.

Around their firepit, a couple of logs look to have been dragged out from the jungle to sit on, as Yaku currently occupies an end of one. “Where have you two been all morning?”

“We made a sundial,” Koutarou points in its direction. “Then we made clay pots!”

Yaku raises a skeptical eyebrow, “Really. Didn’t know you had a single creative bone in your body.”

“Oh Yaku, yee have little faith,” Kuroo places a hand over his heart. “Put a little trust in your captain.”

“You haven’t been my captain in years. Get off your soapbox.” Yaku reaches down beside him to grab something, but his eyes widen in terror. Looking down he sees an animal munching on the banana he was after. Yaku lets out a loud, high-pitched screech and jumps away yelling what must be several Russian expletives. “Kakogo chyorta?! Zaebis’! Blyad!” 

The two men double over in laughter. Koutarou wipes a tear from his eye, still laughing. Meanwhile, Ace is chomping away on Yaku’s fruit. 

“What the hell is that?! Stop laughing you assholes!” 

Finally gaining control of his laughter Koutarou explains, “It’s Shou-kun’s skink. His name is Ace! Look at him!” Both Kuroo and he are entranced just watching the creature, while Yaku looks like he’s about to flee. 

“I’m good,” he says and hastily walks away. This makes them howl with laughter again. 

They decide to leave the little dude to eat his banana in peace and grab one of the coconuts to share. Let it be known that opening a coconut is hard work. Since everyone else is using the tools, they only have a pocket knife that’s been designated for food, and rocks. If they want to eat, they really have to work for it.

Kuroo strikes the coconut husk again with little success. He hands over his stone for Koutarou to give it a try. A few good hits manage to crack the husk revealing its mess of protective fibers. They pull on the loose fibers to reveal the coconut shell. Yet another barrier between them and their prize. Thankfully this one is much easier to break. After poking holes on the top with the rock, they share the sweet coconut water before opening it up to eat the meat. 

Koutarou has never had fresh coconut before and finds that he quite likes it. He feels like he’s really eating something with how he has to work his jaws to crush up the meaty fruit. Fruit is the only bit of food they seem to have right now.

He looks at their food and water stock. It’s not much. Another group must have been sent into the jungle to fetch more water. There had to be an easier way right? Or at least something less dangerous. And as for food, everyone seems to be suffering. It’s no secret that almost everyone on the team has a large appetite. As professional athletes, their calorie intake is larger than the average person. Koutarou is more than happy to try his hand at spearfishing to help. 

He’s only been sitting still for a few minutes, but he can already feel himself growing restless. Everyone has been working so hard, they deserve a good meal. He can provide that! He turns to Kuroo who is sitting to his right offering Ace a piece of coconut. “Bro, I want to go fishing so we can maybe have enough food tonight for everyone. You know how to make like a spear or something?”

Kuroo gives his attention, “I think so. At the museum, there’s an area about early civilizations, and I remember this spear. I think I can recreate it.”

“Bro, Tsukki would be so proud.”

“I can see his smug face,” Kuroo chuckles. “Alright. Let’s do it!”

Walking through camp, Koutarou sees Sakusa and Hyakuzawa making baskets out of leaves. It looks pretty cool. He bets Keiji would be good at it with his slim, nimble fingers. Atsumu sits beside Sakusa, watching intently. However, the two friends catch his attention as they walk by. 

“Whatcha doin’ Bokkun?” 

He smiles wide, “Kuroo is gonna show me how to make a spear so we can fish!”

“Whoa! Can I come, too?”

“Sure! Omi-kun, Hyakuzawa-kun, you want to join, too?” They both respond with a negative. He’s not discouraged by that, though. 

Kuroo uses bamboo to replicate what he remembers. Using a stone, he splits one end into four sections and places two small sticks through the sections so they are perpendicular. This keeps the four sections separated. Atsumu and Koutarou copy his instructions. Then they take their spears over to the fire and stick the pronged end in the fire to help harden it. The last step is to use a rock to sharpen each of the four prongs to a point. 

“Bro, this is awesome!”

Kuroo fakes a tear. “Thanks, Bro.”

“It looks super legit!” Atsumu admires their handiwork. “Oh, and I have a mesh string bag we can use if we find any mollusks or somethin’.”

The three men make their way out towards the reef. It’s not terribly far from shore, but they still have to swim to reach it. Seeing the reef up close is mesmerizing. It’s a whole different world down here. The colors are so vibrant and colorful, so full of life. All the different parts move and sway to an unheard rhythm. For a moment, Koutarou forgets what his goal of coming out here is. 

Looking at the numerous fish, he wonders if they are all safe to eat. Bright colors are bad right? Using that logic he goes for a fish with a humped head and looks to have teeth. Weird. He misses and stabs some coral. Whoops. Sorry there. He goes after it a few more times to no avail. Spearfishing is hard, he decides. 

After surfacing for air, he’s right back down. Not too far away he spots what he thinks must be a reef shark. Atsumu told Kuroo and him that they would most likely see one and that they aren’t known for attacking humans. _“Just don’t be stupid,”_ he said. It’s pretty cool, but unnerving all the same. As long as there’s nothing bigger, it’s all good in Koutarou’s book. 

He looks over to his friend to see he is also empty-handed. Atsumu seems to be having more luck with whatever he’s digging in the sand for. However, Koutarou is determined to get one of those fish with the teeth. They have foiled him for the last time. One is idle by a fan-shaped coral, so he slowly tries to sneak up on it. Before he can strike, something roughly grabs his arm. Flailing in the water to turn around, he lets out a significant amount of air. Thankfully, it’s just Kuroo.

“What the hell, man?!” He asks when they surface together. “You scared me half to death!”

Kuroo looks a bit panicked, “I saw a hammerhead. We should get back to shore.”

Koutarou’s eyes grow wide. He wants to see it! “Where Bro?!”

He points, “A bit out farther, but I don’t want to be spearing fish and have the blood attract it.”

Diving back under, he looks out in the direction the shark supposedly is. A dark shadow comes in and out of view. How could Kuroo tell what it is? It looks like a blob. It could be anything. It’s not that he doesn’t believe the other man, but- Oh, there it is! Oh. Oh, it’s coming closer. It’s swinging head motion accentuates its unique head shape for which it’s named. 

Atsumu swims over to the two men treading water. “What’re ya doin’?” 

“Kuroo saw a hammerhead and I wanted to see, but now it’s coming closer.”

“What?! Why didn’t ya say somethin’ sooner?!” Atsumu says and starts swimming towards shore. “C’mon! Unless ya wanna be shark bait!” They quickly follow him. Atsumu is a surprisingly fast swimmer. 

Wading back onto the beach, they have nothing to show for it. Except for whatever Atsumu collected in his bag. It still doesn’t look near enough to feed everyone. 

“Maybe we can look for tidepools further down the beach,” the setter suggests. He and Kuroo shrug, nodding in agreement. 

The shoreline as they get further away from camp is rather rocky, so finding tide pools is actually pretty easy. Apparently, it’s low tide. That’s what Kuroo said anyway. Not all of them have much inside, but others are swimming with life. Koutarou is fascinated by them. It’s like a little community of sea creatures. 

Ahead of him, Atsumu is standing still and seems to be just staring at something. He stands from his crouched position over the tide pool and walks over. “What’s wrong Tsum-Tsum?”

“There’s so many,” he trails off. “Alright boys, time ta dig!” 

Atsumu shows them the little holes in the sand and says that it means there’s mollusk buried there. And the little things poking out of the ground are mollusks, too. So they start digging them up. A couple of the creatures poke out their tongue thing. It’s kinda cute, and he voices as much.

“It’s actually their foot, Bokkun! Isn’t that cool?” Atsumu says proudly. Well, it’s not quite as cute anymore. But it is indeed cool. 

Once they’ve filled up Atsumu’s string bag and the makeshift shirt bag, they decide to explore a bit further. They’ve walked what they think is a few kilometers when they come upon a river mouth. 

“No way! Are ya fuckin’ serious?” He can’t tell if Atsumu is happy or mad. “At least we know it’s here now I guess,” he sighs. 

“Let’s go back and let everyone know,” Kuroo says. “And I want to check on our arts and crafts from this morning.” When Atsumu gives him a questioning look, he just smirks.

The fire has died out, leaving only ashes and their pottery sitting on top. While it’s obvious it’s not made by any skilled craftsman, he thinks it looks pretty good. 

“Y’all made this?” Koutarou nods with a wide smile. “Impressive Bokkun, Kurokun.”  
Koutarou puffs up his chest. Validation. Feels good. 

Kuroo checks it over but doesn’t touch it. “Everything looks good so far, but we can’t use it until tomorrow. So it looks like we’re using rock stoves tonight.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Koutarou announces their return to camp. He then takes a peek at the sundial. It’s almost five o’clock. Maybe. It’s still pretty cool. The large shelter looks complete now, so almost everyone can finally take a break. 

Atsumu runs over to Sakusa, “Omi-Omi look!” He proudly shows off his bag full of mollusks. 

There’s a clear fondness in the taller man’s eyes, but his body language says he’s disgusted. Chuckling to himself, he can’t help but think of Keiji. He’d display his findings to him like a Golden Retriever, too. 

Turning to their other resident couple, Hinata has Ace on his shoulder and is talking to Iwaizumi, who seems rather engrossed with the creature. Kageyama sits across from them looking exceptionally moody. Koutarou wonders if something happened. Hinata looks okay, though. Maybe he’s just hungry. They’re all hungry. 

So that’s how dinner goes: clams, scallops, snails, and whatever else they dug up. It’s still not such, but everyone seems pleased. There’s laughter around the campfire, and it’s almost like they’re just having a team camping trip. 

He smiles and picks up another oyster to eat. The hot shell burns his fingers like all the others have, but he’s too impatient to let it cool. When he opens it, he sees a pearl nestled right in the center. Taking it out, he sees that it’s about 10 millimeters, perfectly round, and dark with a blue overtone. The color is just like Keiji’s eyes. It’s beautiful.

“Did you seriously find a pearl, Bokuto?” Hoshiumi leans forward to see better.

“Whoa!” Hinata exclaims. “That one’s a cool color!”

Kuroo examines it from beside him. “Gonna give that Akaashi?” The man smirks and wiggles his eyebrows. 

Smiling at the pearl he says, “Yeah. I am.” Koutarou knows exactly what he’s going to do with this pearl once he gets off this island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Bokuto's pearl! Think Akaashi will like it? 😏


	4. Lord of the Fruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata wants to explore, the guys need more food. Seems like a good way to kill two birds with one stone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So this chapter is a bit more lighthearted, but it is from Hinata's POV. It actually has the scene in it that originally sparked my desire to write this fic. Hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If you encounter a wild boar, do not engage, do not run, do not pass go. Climb a tree or somewhere it cannot reach you immediately. Otherwise, it will outrun you, and you will probably die.

It’s day three of island living, and Shouyou has this insatiable need to explore. Adventure is calling him! Just by going a little further into the jungle, they might find something super amazing, like a crazy temple! But really, they need more fruits and stuff because everyone kinda sucks at fishing. If only he can find a few others to come with him, then Kageyama can’t stop him. Especially if he doesn’t tell his boyfriend he’s going. He’s being such a killjoy with his _No, Shouyou, we aren’t going back in there._ Lame. Scanning around camp, he sees the perfect candidates to enact his plans upon. With a mischievous smile on his face, he makes his way over to victim number one.

Shouyou approaches Hoshiumi who is trying to have some kind of argument with Hakuba Gao, who just looks amused by the smaller man. This is a rather common occurrence. Hakuba enjoys teasing the other because Hoshiumi is easy to get riled up. Honestly, Shouyou thinks that Hakuba has a thing for him, but the world may never know.

“Hoshiumi-san!”

“Hinata!” Hoshiumi gladly turns his attention to Shouyou and ignores Hakuba. The middle blocker tries not to show his disappointment.

“How do you feel about a little bit of adventure?” Shouyou wiggles his eyebrows playfully.

Without any context, Hoshiumi agrees readily. “I’m in! Later Sasquatch,” he throws over his shoulder before following Shouyou to collect his next victim.

Victim two is struggling valiantly with some fishing line while Kuroo watches, not bothering to help. He throws it down on the sand with a huff.

“Bokuto-san, come jungle exploring with us!” The man perks up with his round golden eyes.

“Are you hoping to find something?” Kuroo asks as he takes Bokuto’s abandoned line in hand to un-knot it.

“Of course!” Shouyou bounces on the balls of his feet, “Like some crazy jungle fruit or a secret temple!” Hoshiumi and Bokuto join in on the hype, with jittery movements.

Kuroo snorts in amusement. “Good luck. Just be careful.”

When the three return to the midst of camp, they can hear Atsumu’s loud voice.

“Omi-Omi, c’mon! Come collect ‘em with me!”

“Go do it yourself,” Sakusa says coolly, continuing with his application of sunscreen. It does not surprise him that said man had sunscreen packed away somewhere, as Shouyou looks at his own pink arms. His Brazilian tan is long gone.

“But I don’t wanna go alone! And isn’t that what ya made those leaf baskets for? To carry smelly fish and stuff?”

“Yes, but what part of that includes me digging into the sand and actually touching gross, slimy sea creatures?”

Atsumu’s indignant whine leaves Shouyou with his chance to collect his third and final victim. “Come with us Atsumu-san!”

“Oh? Where’s that Shouyou-kun?”

Sakusa pauses his application and gives Shouyou his best _don’t you dare look_ , but Shouyou ignores it. He’s not scared of Omi-san - not anymore at least.

To his impish pleasure, Bokuto answers for him. “Into the jungle to find more fruit! Come with us Tsum-Tsum!”

Life seems to drain out of Sakusa at the mention of going back into the jungle. Shouyou recalls that Sakusa had a less than thrilling time on their search for water. The anxious energy he radiated was hard to ignore. When Atsumu agrees to join, Sakusa’s expression withers even more.

“Don’t worry Omi-kun! We have a compass!” Bokuto holds the object out in front of him.

Sakusa stares at it with a blank expression. “And why the _FUCK_ did we not have this when we went on that death trip?”

Shouyou and Atsumu shrug. “Kuroo found it in a side pocket in the survival kit’s backpack,” Bokuto says helpfully.

With a completely defeated look, Sakusa turns to his boyfriend. “I can’t go back in there, Atsumu.”

“Hey, it’s alright Omi,” he puts a hand on Sakusa’s shoulder. “Ya can stay right here at camp.”

“But-” Sakusa cuts himself off with a sigh. He then places a hand over the one on his shoulder. “Please be careful.”

So the four men go to gather some supplies for their endeavor, which includes their spears from yesterday, backpacks of supplies, and empty backpacks for foraging. Ace is chilling next to Iwaizumi on a log. The athletic trainer has taken a liking to the skink, though he keeps referring to him as Godzilla. Ace is far cuter than any stinky nuclear radiation lizard. Shouyou gives him a little pat on the head to which the skink cocks his head with his tongue poking out of his mouth. Cute.

Once they have what they think they’ll need, the boys start their adventure. They decide to enter away from the path that’s already marked so they have a better chance of finding something. The energy of this group is much more lively than the last time he ventured into the trees.

Bokuto leads the way holding the compass. It’s much easier to go in a straight line when they know which way north is. Both white-haired men marvel at the scenery, as this is their first time on a jungle trek. Shouyou is keeping an eye on the trees above for any fruit. There has to be something deeper in here, or how would all the animals eat?

After walking for a good while, Shouyou sees something.

“Guys! Look at those crazy fruits!” He points to the several large black hanging fruits. Super crazy jungle fruit!

The others stop to see where Shouyou is pointing. Atsumu steps forward a bit squinting his eyes.

“Hate ta burst yer bubble Shouyou-kun, but those definitely ain’t fruit.” At his confused, pouty expression, Atsumu elaborates. “Looks like bats ta me.”

Bats? Don’t bats live in caves? Looking at the several _bats_ it’s kinda creepy now.

“They aren’t going to suck our blood, right?” Bokuto asks.

Atsumu looks less than impressed. “Very unlikely, Bokkun. One, only vampire bats feed on blood, which they lick, not suck. Two, those,” he points to the hanging creatures, “definitely ain’t vampire bats.”

Hoshiumi appraises Atsumu skeptically, “How can you be so sure?”

Atsumu grins and cracks his knuckles, “Well, since ya asked.” Bokuto turns with wide attentive eyes. “These guys are much bigger than vampire bats, which are ‘bout the size of a teacup. This is also the completely wrong habitat ta find ‘em in. Vampire bats are yer typical sleeps in a dark, dank cave bat. These guys probably eat fruits. Also, vampire bats are ugly as sin, and I bet if ya could see these guys’ faces, they’d be kinda cute.”

“Wow, Tsum-Tsum! That’s so cool you know all that!”

Hoshiumi shrugs, “Good enough for me. So what about those?” He points to another tree near the collection of bats that has actual fruits. Fruits that look incredibly like-

“Mangoes! Hell yeah!” Atsumu whoops. “Go my lil’ spider monkeys,” he shoos both of the small spikers with his hands.

Shouyou and Hoshiumi look at each other before dashing to the tree and starting to climb. It’s a very tall tree. He had no idea mango trees could be this tall, but he can’t think about that when he’s in the middle of a competition. Using vines wrapping around the trunk, he hoists himself higher and higher. Unfortunately, most of the mangoes are further out on the branches. At least they grow in some clusters. A lot of them are still pretty green, though.

Shouyou inches across the branch on his stomach to get to the fruits. He can hear Hoshiumi grunting in effort as well. If he shakes the branch, can he get the mangoes to fall? Giving it a good shake proves unsuccessful. Well, it was worth a try. So he has to carefully balance himself while reaching out with one arm for the delectable fruits he’s dying to take a bite of.

Once his backpack is filled, he shimmies down the tree, feet meeting the ground at practically the same time as his tree climbing partner. They both groan in frustration seeing that their haul is identical as well. There are always more opportunities.

After walking deeper, there’s another fruit tree. This one is much shorter, though some of its branches stretch up high. There are several pale yellow waxy looking fruits hanging low enough that Bokuto and Atsumu can easily reach them from the ground.

Bokuto walks up and picks one from a low hanging branch. He turns it in his hand to examine it. “What kind of fruit is this?”

“So you’re tellin’ me that ya just picked some strange fruit that could be poisonous without knowin’ what it is?” Atsumu crosses his arms with a raised eyebrow, openly judging Bokuto’s ignorance.

“I thought it was just eating certain ones,” smiling sheepishly, he continues to fondle the strange fruit.

Atsumu rolls his eyes in exasperation. “Lucky for ya ‘Samu likes ta cook with these. They’re carambola or star fruit for ya scrubs.”

Neat! The four stuff as many as they can in their bags. Atsumu says that they are good with seafood and are quite refreshing. Shouyou is so down for something refreshing. Coconut water can only go so far.

While trying to make more room, Shouyou accidentally drops one. He chases it down where it’s made its way into the shrubs. Rooting around he finds the blasted fruit. Reaching for it, he hears a twig snap. Looking up, Shouyou comes face to face with a hairy, dark brown head coming to a snout with two pointed teeth sticking up from its bottom jaw. It’s a pig. But not like a pig Shouyou has seen before. This pig is definitely bigger than him.

He tries to slowly back away from the creature, but it snorts at him and looks like it might charge. Nope. Goodbye, Sir Pig. Shouyou bolts out of the bushes and back towards where they came from.

“Shouyou-kun? What’re ya- Oh fuck!” Atsumu’s shout is behind him, as he hasn’t stopped running.

Risking a glance over his shoulder, he sees the other three men are running behind him now as the pig is on their trail, and it brought friends! Why are they running?! They’re the ones with the spears!

“Bokuto! Stab it! Stab it!” Hoshiumi shouts.

“I don’t wanna stab it!”

“Then give it here!”

Shouyou realizes he’s making good time when he sees the tree of bats. A few of them are moving around now. The loud yelling and pig squeals must be disturbing them. It would certainly disturb him.

“Climb a tree ya idiots!”

Right. Pigs can’t climb. Shouyou makes for the mango tree near the bats. He knows how to climb that one fast. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to climb very high, just enough to be out of reach. Sitting on a branch, he greedily sucks in air, trying to catch his breath. Bokuto is clambering up Shouyou’s tree while Hoshiumi and Atsumu are in the bat tree. Hoshiumi is poking down at the pigs with the spear he took from Bokuto, accomplishing absolutely nothing except maybe angering the pigs more.

“Kourai-kun, I swear if ya- IDIOT!”

Shouyou hears Atsumu’s exclamation at the same time he hears a war cry. Hoshiumi drops from his safe tree branch with his spear pointed down at the pig right below him, impaling it right in its fleshy back. The pig lets out a pained squeal and bucks around dangerously. The feral being, AKA Hoshiumi Kourai, hollers at the small group of pigs and stabs at them. He’s totally going to get impaled by that big one. _Goodbye Hoshiumi-san, it was nice knowing your crazy ass._

However, the erratic flailing and yelling for some reason is working. The animals are backing off and heading back to where they came from. Hoshiumi tries to go after the injured one, but Atsumu drops down to hold him back.

“Are ya nuts?! Ya absolute loon!”

“But I want pork!”

Bokuto and Shouyou drop down to join the other two.

“Hoshiumi-san! You looked super cool fighting off those pigs!”

“Yeah, like a regular Tarzan!” Bokuto throws his arms up, with a wide grin on his face.

“Sure, it was cool and all, but not if you’re dead! Do ya not remember that scene from Old Yeller?!” At the three other men’s blank faces, Atsumu gives them a withering look that scarily reminds Shouyou of Sakusa. He throws his head back in frustration.

While they are distracted by the adrenaline of their recent wild pig run, Shouyou feels an extra weight on his backpack. Stiffening, he slowly turns his head to see a bat taking a bite of a star fruit from his open flap.

“Oh, it _is_ cute!” The bat has a black body, wings, ears and face with blonde fur around its neck and on top of its head, and with brown eyes.

“Ha! Told ya! Flying fox!” Atsumu puts his hands on his hips.

Bokuto coos at the creature. “Aw, he’s so cute! He kinda looks like you, Tsum-Tsum. He has your hair and eyes and everything! Batsumu!”

Hoshiumi cackles like a demon. “Batsumu!” He doubles over in another fit of laughter.

“Hmph.” Atsumu pouts, but there’s definitely a slight smile on his lips. “Well, Batsumu needs to get off so we can head back.”

Atsumu takes the fruit and sets it down before offering the butt end of his bamboo spear for the bat to climb on. Surprisingly, it does and hangs upside down. Atsumu gently brings it to the ground by the fruit, but the bat only grabs at the fruit with its little claws at the tip of its wings.

“Seriously, my dude? I’m not gonna hold ya here so ya can eat.”

“Looks like he has your personality, too,” Hoshiumi says between giggles.

He tries holding it up to a tree branch, but Batsumu only stares at him with big brown eyes. Like a puppy! It’s super cute!

“Go on,” Atsumu tries coaxing the animal. “Go. Be free!” Finally, Batsumu arranges himself on the tree limb instead of the spear.

Bokuto sniffs and wipes a fake tear, “Like a father dropping his first child off at college.”

“I’ll miss you, my son!” Atsumu plays up the theatrics and waves at the bat, who is still looking at them.

“You and Omi-san sure make a cute kid!”

Atsumu chokes. Shouyou smirks.

When they arrive back at camp, it’s still early afternoon. They make their way to deposit their forages and return the gear they used. They found a lot of good stuff, and they can even go back to get more. Except those pigs are there. And they didn’t find a secret temple. Ushijima is standing by and asks about the blood on Hoshiumi’s spear.

“I stabbed a pig! And I would’ve killed it too if this one didn’t stop me,” he jabs a finger at Atsumu’s chest.

“Ya woulda died!”

Ushijima in all his stoic glory asks, “So you weren’t against killing it for food?”

“Nah, I jus’ don’t want anyone’s death on my hands.”

Ushijima nods before standing. “Bokuto, can you show me where you encountered these pigs?”

“I mean sure but why?” Bokuto scratches his head in confusion.

“I am going to capture a pig,” Ushijima says like it’s the simplest thing in the world.

“Heh?!” The four of them shout in surprise. Is this guy serious?

“I think Kuroo would also be useful in this endeavor,” he walks off to find the man leaving the others with their mouths still gaping. Ushiwaka sure is something else.

“Shut your mouth, that’s how you catch flies.”

Atsumu spins around with a smile, “Omi-Omi! Didja miss me?”

Before Sakusa can answer Hoshiumi swoops in, “I bet Batsumu misses you already!” He starts witch cackling again before walking off in another direction.

Sakusa raises an amused eyebrow, “Batsumu?”

“Oh, Omi-Omi! There was this cute bat,” Sakusa starts pulling Atsumu away by his hand while he tells his story, “and it had this-” The blonde’s voice fades as he gets farther away.

Shouyou smiles in their direction. Sakusa is still Sakusa, but it almost seems like this whole nature island adventure has been good for him. Exposure therapy at it’s finest.

Bokuto waves him goodbye when he’s called away by Kuroo. It looks like Ushiwaka got himself a little crew. Aran joins the other three men as they gather the gear they need for whatever it is that they plan on doing. Hopefully, none of them die. Those pigs were vicious, but Hoshiumi was more feral, he supposes.

His thoughts are interrupted by a call of his name. His attention snaps to a very angry looking Kageyama with blazing blue eyes marching straight for him. He has a few options at this point. He could run, which he knows he can outrun Kageyama on sand; he could swim out into the water, which would just be a huge dick move since Kageyama can’t swim and would probably piss him off more; or he can stand here and take whatever Kageyama deals him like a man.

With a gulp he chooses option three. He’s an adult, he can talk this out with his very angry boyfriend who looks super hot right now with his jaw set in that aggressive posture that Shouyou has seen on more than one occasion. _Not the time brain!_

When Kageyama reaches him, he grabs Shouyou by his shoulders, glowering down at him. Shouyou fully feels their height difference at the moment. He shivers in delight. _Brain, stop it!_

“What the hell, Shouyou?! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Why didn’t you tell me where you were going? I found out from Sakusa! Even his asshat of a boyfriend told him!”

Shouyou winces at his words, any arousal flooding out of him. He didn’t really think about Kageyama being worried. “I’m sorry, Tobio. I didn’t really think about that.”

“Obviously! Boke!”

“I just didn’t want you to try and stop me because I know you would have.”

Kageyama sighs and pulls Shouyou into a hug. “Yeah, I would have. But you and I both know I would have failed. Then at least I would have known where you were.”

He wraps his arms around Kageyama’s middle, resting his head on the taller’s chest. “I won’t do it again.”

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Batsumu. Isn't he presh?


	5. Mind or Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi takes some time to reflect on if he's truly satisfied and tries to deal with other issues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm so sorry that this is so late T-T I have no excuse other than the lame one of Sakusa Week taking up all my time because I am weak for that man. But here is the next chapter!
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: When you need to clean out a small cut or wound, you can use an alcohol-based mouthwash to disinfect your skin. Before it became a mouthwash, it was successfully used as an antiseptic to prevent surgical infections

Laying down in the large shelter, Hajime takes a moment to rest. He got back from a water run with a few of the other guys a while ago, but this midday heat is really taking it out of him. Kageyama is yelling at Hinata somewhere in the middle of camp, and really, you’d think they’d have grown out of their bickering by now. How many years has it been since they met? Around ten? Damn, he’s getting old. But those two aren’t the only couple with a strange dynamic. Hell, Hajime would be a hypocrite if he judged them when his own past relationships were like that. Or one specific one at least. 

Since base camp is more or less up and running well, he’s had time to reflect. More than he’s used to, that’s for sure. Being in his head and getting in touch with his emotions is not something he’s particularly fond of, but sometimes it’s necessary. Crashing in the middle of the ocean and washing up on a deserted island can really put some things into perspective. 

Hajime loves his job, but the person who really inspired him to pursue this path is no longer by his side. Over the years, it’s become an easier pill to swallow. However, the idea that he could have died (and still can) in this whole debacle makes him wonder if he’s really satisfied. Hajime has already peaked in his career it seems. He’s the athletic trainer for Japan’s Olympic team and at an incredibly young age to boot. What’s there not to be satisfied with?

That’s enough introspection for now, he decides and gets up from the bamboo structure. Looking around, he tries to figure out what to do. There is always something more he can do. It’s a miracle that no one has any serious injuries. The closest call they’ve had was the night they spent on the raft. When Hinata passed out from hypothermia, Hajime was genuinely terrified that he wouldn’t make it through the night. Losing the ginger’s bright presence would have sent the team’s morale spiraling. 

Their next goal should be trying to signal and make contact for rescue. They have an emergency strobe light and a signaling mirror, but so far neither has been effective in catching the attention of potential rescuers. Who knows how far this island is from the nearest civilization. This island could be uncharted for all they know. 

He could try to fiddle with some of their electronics to make a radio maybe. No one here is really a tech genius. The most any of these guys do is abuse social media. Kenma is the most tech-savvy person he knows. Dammit, he has no idea what to do. 

Over on one of the tree log benches by their fire pit, Hinata’s skink is still sticking around. Hajime has always been fond of reptiles. It probably stems from his love of Godzilla. He’s not going to admit that he’s bonded with the little guy, but he’s one hundred percent getting himself a tegu lizard when he gets back to Japan. And, yes, his name will be Godzilla. Sue him. 

He joins his reptilian friend on the log and methodically peels a banana to share with him. Hinata and Kageyama have calmed down and are cuddling down on the shore watching the waves. Hajime can hear Atsumu regaling Sakusa and Komori about his trip into the jungle. They must have gone in when he, Yaku, and Hyakuzawa were getting water. That explains Kageyama’s earlier outburst. 

It’s not that Hajime is eavesdropping exactly, Atsumu is just incredibly loud. The fact that there are wild boars on the island is a bit disconcerting. If someone gets mauled by one, they don’t have the necessary medical supplies to properly treat that kind of wound. Sure he can suture it closed, it won’t be pretty, but it’s something. The issue is if it gets infected. They don’t have anything other than antibiotic ointment, and that won’t cut it. Someone could go septic within hours. 

That’s Hajime’s biggest fear right now: someone needing immediate medical attention. He’s the closest thing they have to a doctor, but it’s not like he has all of that kind of training. Still, it is his responsibility to take care of this team. If anyone is injured, it’s his job to provide treatment. Out here, there are so many things that can go wrong in the blink of an eye. 

However, listening to Atsumu gush about this bat helps ease the damping thoughts in his mind. Sometimes he reminds him of Oikawa. The way they appear so carefree and obnoxious on the outside, but inside they are insecure perfectionists. The two would either be the best of friends or mortal enemies. The thought makes him huff in amusement. 

A few hours later, he is sitting in companionable silence with Sakusa and Kageyama. The latter two are watching their boyfriends jump waves like carefree children. Every now and then they will comment on how stupid one of them looks. Sakusa looked incredibly pleased when Atsumu absolutely ate shit. 

“HEY, HEY, HEY! We bring offerings!” The three of them turn to see the returning hunting party. Ushijima and Bokuto are hauling a giant ass pig with them. Holy shit, that thing must weigh at least 200 pounds. Kuroo looks smug while Ojirou just looks exasperated by the whole ordeal. Hajime isn’t sure he wants to know how they caught the thing, let alone killed it. 

Hinata and Hoshiumi have already zoomed over to ask a million questions about the hunting trip. Hajime makes his way over to the group as well. Because now he’s wondering how the hell they are going to chop this bitch up.

“And then Kuroo made this snare trap that caught the pig like _fwoosh_ around its neck!” Bokuto is animatedly telling the story when Hajime arrives. 

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Hinata has stars in his eyes directed at Kuroo. It is pretty impressive, he has to admit.

Hajime addresses the group, “Nice job guys. But any idea how we are going to butcher it?” 

They all stop to think. Obviously, no one has ever done this before. 

Kuroo speaks first, “It can’t be that much different than a dissection, right? You know, except for the whole being fresh and not fermented in formaldehyde part.”

Hajime would like to beg to differ, but if Kuroo wants to do it that way, who is he to stop him? 

“Is that you volunteering then?” He asks.

Kuroo hesitates briefly, “Uh. I mean. I suppose it is.” 

Bokuto slaps a hand on Kuroo’s back, “Don’t worry, Bro! I’ll help you!” 

“Yeah! Me, too!” Hoshiumi has a feral look on his face while looking at the pig. 

Kuroo still doesn’t seem super enthused but leads his two assistants a bit away from camp to begin the arduous process. Hajime will be sure to check in with them in a little bit. 

He sits by the fire pit with Ushijima and Sakusa. His thoughts from earlier in the day play through his mind again. Ushijima is in a long-distance relationship that spans a continent. Would it be awkward to ask him about it? He and Ushijima became friends when they both were in America. Plus, he’s a reasonable guy. Nothing much really phases him anyway.

“Hey Ushijima,” he starts. The other man turns to give him his full attention. “Is it okay if I ask about how you maintain your relationship with Tendou?” 

“Yes, I don’t mind.”

“Well, how do you manage it?”

Ushijima hums thoughtfully, “I miss Satori very much, of course. We video chat almost every day. The two of us just understand each other.”

“But how can you stand the distance?” 

A small smile appears on Ushijima's face. There’s a fond, yet distant look in his eyes. “It’s hard, but knowing that Satori is mine, no matter the distance is enough.”

And it really is enough, isn’t it? Just knowing that the person you love is yours to love, even from afar. That you have that right to do so. Getting to talk to them and having them tell you about their day. Hajime wants that again. Why did he let the distance cripple him?

“Thanks Ushijima.”

He gives a slight nod. “Kiyoomi-kun, do you have anything to add for Iwaizumi’s relationship advice?”

Sakusa is caught off guard at being addressed. “Not really, no. I have no experience with that.”

That’s fair, but Hajime is curious what his thoughts are. “How do you think you would feel if Atsumu lived in America?”

Sakusa’s frown mars his whole face. Hajime hasn’t seen that look since an overzealous fan at the Olympics got through security and attacked him with a hug. “There was a time that I think it wouldn’t affect me much. But now, I don’t think I’d be able to handle it. Not when I know what it’s like having him with me every day.”

Hajime definitely relates to both of the men’s opinions. Just what is the best option for himself?

“He should have stayed in Japan. He would have done well on the Red Falcons,” says Ushijima.

“He would have, but I don’t know how he would’ve handled competing with both Kageyama and Atsumu at the professional level.” Although Hajime thinks he could hold his own just fine. Oikawa is an amazing player and it should be recognized. 

Sakusa looks thoughtful, “Have you ever thought about moving to Argentina?”

“Thought about it? Yes. Seriously? No. I can’t uproot everything I have here.” There was a time when he did consider it - following Oikawa to Argentina. But he can’t see himself ever leaving Japan. He turns to Ushijima, “Is Tendou the reason you’re signing with Poland?”

“Poland is an excellent team, but yes, I will be closer to Satori. He’s looking into jobs there as well.” Ushijima's eyes have a gleam in them. 

He’s happy for his friend. He’ll have the sport he loves and the person he loves in one place. And isn’t that the dream? 

Sakusa’s face suddenly curls in disgust as he looks at something over Hajime’s shoulder. He turns around to see Kuroo absolutely covered in what has to be pig guts. Then he catches a whiff. The smell is ungodly. 

The man has a defeated face, all will sapped out of him. “It’s not like a dissection.” He then continues his trek down to the water to clean himself.

“God, I think I’m going to be sick,” Sakusa’s face is pale as he gets up and dashes away.

Hajime can’t help but let out an amused chuckle. Poor guys. He should probably go check to see how the other two are holding up.

Evening starts taking over the sky with its red and orange hues when the pig is more or less finished. It’s not fancy and would not fetch any price at the market, but they did it. There is a ton of meat. At least they won’t have to worry about food for a few days. The only worry is preserving it so it doesn’t spoil. Kuroo suggests smoking it since there’s so much. Hajime has no objections. The question now is how.

Shockingly, it’s Bokuto who makes a suggestion. “Bro, can we use the kiln thing?”

Kuroo shakes Bokuto by his shoulders, “Bro! You’re a genius!” 

Bokuto preens at the praise as the two go to do whatever the fuck they were talking about. Meanwhile, they grab a few others to help with preparing tonight’s meal. Hinata brings over one of the clay plates Bokuto and Kuroo made and they load it up to move some of the meat over to cook. When Hinata calls dibs on one of the pig feet, Sakusa looks like he might be sick again.

That night, everyone goes to sleep with a sated appetite for the first time in days.

Hajime wakes up early the next morning to Kuroo spooning him. Again. He wasn’t shocked to find out the man is a cuddler when he woke up in a similar situation yesterday. If he didn’t feel a little sympathy for him getting covered in pig guts the previous night, Hajime would elbow him away. But alas, he has a heart and just wiggles his way out of his octopus-like hold. He’s not sure why he’s the one subjected to this. Hajime in no way has a body type like Tsukishima. 

Bokuto and Hinata appear to be the only others awake. How these two manage to have endless bounds of energy this early, he’ll never understand. Hinata is munching on a mango with Ace perched on his shoulder. 

“Good morning, Iwaizumi-san!” 

He grunts in acknowledgment. How he would kill for coffee right now. There are so many modern amenities he’s taken for granted. A fucking toilet would be fucking great. He does not want to know where everyone has been taking their shits, and he will rue the day he finds out.

Bokuto offers him part of the coconut he’s working on opening. Thanking him, he takes it. Honestly, they’re pretty lucky that everyone on the team is so agreeable. No one has tried to become the “leader,” it’s just fallen naturally to however is best suited for the job. If someone tried to go all _Lord of the Flies_ , Hajime would actually beat the shit out of them. They are all in their mid to late twenties for god’s sake, not twelve-year-old chorus boys.

As more people begin waking, camp fills with chatter, laughter, and of course yelling. Being surrounded by everyone is honestly more tranquil than you’d think. The high energy just ensures that the team is safe and happy. Really, it’s the best-case scenario. The only thing that would make it better is if a ship or helicopter appeared over the horizon about now. 

Suddenly, a loud cry for help pierces through the air turning everyone’s attention to a figure in the water. Hoshiumi is around the reef and struggling at the surface of the water. 

Hajime’s first thought is a shark attack. Before he can do anything, Gao is running down the shore and into the water. Everyone else gathers on the shore to try and figure out what’s going on and what to do. Hajime decides to prepare by grabbing the medical supplies that they have. He doesn’t see any red in the water, thankfully, but he has no idea what’s happened. 

Ushijima wades into his waist when Gao is on his way back with Hoshiumi. He helps Gao up as he carries Hoshiumi. Racing over to where they have laid the spiker on the sand, he kneels down to check him over.

“What happened?” There’s no injury that he can see.

“S-something stung me. It burns and I-I can’t feel my hand!” It’s then his eyes zone in on an angry red welt on Hoshiumi’s thumb. 

Oh fuck. This is literally Hajime’s worst nightmare. “Did you see what it was?” Does it need an antivenom? They don’t have antivenom. He needs to stay calm. It’ll be okay. Everything is under control.

“It was something in a shell. I don’t know. I p-picked it up and it stung me.”

Shit. Something in a shell? Hajime doesn’t know any sea creatures with a shell that sting. Think, Hajime, what do you do with a venomous bite or sting? Slow down the spread. Right. Immobilize and pressure technique.

“Okay, don’t move your arm.” He turns to whoever is next to him, “Go get hot water, but not so hot it boils.” 

Then he digs through the medical kit. Thankfully, it has what he needs. He pulls out an elastic bandage and a splint. Starting at the fingers, Hajime wraps the bandage around and up the arm with the splint tightly, but not tight enough to cut off circulation. 

Okay, now rinse and repeat every ten minutes. He digs around in the kit again to see if there’s anything else useful. No blood pressure cuff, no stethoscope, no analgesics… What kind of shitty medical kit is this? Hajime takes his pulse, he counts 45, which is normal for an athlete of his caliber. The only thing more he can do right now is try to keep Hoshiumi calm.

It’s hard to measure when ten minutes is when there’s no actual clock, but when Yaku returns with a pot of hot water; he thinks it’s about time. He unwraps the limb and feels the water temperature before submerging the affected area of Hoshiumi’s hand, which has turned a concerning shade of blue. 

“How are you feeling? Has the numbness traveled any higher?”

“Y-yeah. I can’t feel you touching my forearm.”

“Alright. Let me know if it goes any higher.”

Fuck, fuck! There’s nothing else he can do. He wraps up the arm again and asks Gao to carry Hoshiumi to the shelter. That way he might be more comfortable and Hajime can tend to him better. 

Hajime and Gao settle Hoshiumi carefully on the shelter floor. They both stay by his side. Hajime isn’t going to make the man leave. As long as not everyone is hovering, support is good. Though, he can see the others casting over worried glances. 

It’s going to be a long day, but Hajime is going to put every ounce of effort to make sure Hoshiumi comes out of this perfectly fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's what stung Hoshiumi. It's called a cone shell, a type of aquatic snail.  
> 


	6. White Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Hoshiumi's accident, Sakusa is distressed. Atsumu takes it upon himself to find a way to distract him. So they travel down the west beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Just want to say thank you for the continued support. I'm genuinely so happy that people like this story. I knew when I started that it's quite a different concept. So thank you to everyone who reads, leaves kudos, and comments. I love you all! 💕💕💕
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If stranded and trying to signal for rescue, the smoke is more important than the fire. So use green grasses and branches rather than dried and dead ones to really get that smoke going.

What a way to start the day. Atsumu doesn’t know what exactly stung Hoshiumi, but he knows that some of the smallest animals can leave the nastiest bites. There’s a ton of dangerous shit in Australia, and if they’re as close as everyone thinks they are, it might apply here as well. Like, have you ever heard of those tiny ass jellyfish in the Great Barrier Reef that’ll kill you? Those fuckers could be lurking in the water while everyone has their thumb up their ass. At least Sakusa is safe from them.

He’s trying his best to not look over at the shelter Hoshiumi is laying in, but it’s always in his peripheral vision. Atsumu hates seeing his teammate like that, and as much as Sakusa wants to deny it, it bothers him a lot. Even though it’s not contagious, injuries of any kind have never sat well with Sakusa. Said man is sitting at the edge of camp with a pale face. 

There has to be a way to get him out of here for a while. He can’t take him in the jungle, swimming is an obvious no, they don’t need to do a water run. Then Atsumu looks to the west. No one has walked down the beach that way. Would it be a waste of resources to find out what’s there? He takes another look at his boyfriend’s face. Ah, fuck it. He’ll do a water run by himself if he can make Sakusa more comfortable. 

Walking up to Sakusa, he sticks his hands out, palms up for him to take. “Up.” When he only gets a glassy stare, he wiggles his fingers.

Eventually he gives in with a sigh, taking the offered hands. Atsumu pulls him to his feet. “What do you want?”

“We’re gonna blow this Popsicle stand,” Atsumu smirks slyly. 

Sakusa raises his eyebrows at the phrase, but his lips curl into a small, fond smile. “And where exactly are we going?”

Atsumu points down the west beach, keeping one hand holding Sakusa’s. “Ta find out what lays yonder.” 

Sakusa rolls his eyes but complies without any complaints. 

Hinata approaches them as they’re gathering a few items to take with them. “Are you guys going somewhere?”

Atsumu leans in to whisper, “I’m takin’ Omi-Omi away from camp for a while. Kourai-kun’s accident is gettin’ to him.” 

Hinata nods in understanding. “I think it really got to Tobio, too. The ocean freaks him out.”

“Maybe ya guys should come with us, then.” 

Hinata perks up before nodding and dashing off to get Kageyama. Atsumu smiles after the ginger. Over the years, Hinata has become one of his best friends. It’s practically impossible to not be charmed by his sunny demeanor. Even Sakusa is not immune. It’s fortunate that their boyfriends get along well. Double dates are always entertaining. At least for Atsumu and Hinata.

The four men walk down the west beach at a leisurely pace. They’re not in any hurry, though the sun will surely be a hindrance as the afternoon progresses. Hinata looks like he wants to dart ahead, but he diligently sticks by Kageyama’s side. Atsumu has no doubt that the setter would follow him. Those two each have enough energy for at least two people. It’s an absolute travesty.

Sakusa definitely seems calmer now. Being away from the source of his anxiety along with the sound of the waves flowing over the shore has helped him relax. Atsumu is an attentive boyfriend, thank you very much. And he must be doing something right for Sakusa to have stayed with him for two years now. What a great two years it’s been, too. 

Honestly, Sakusa has taken this whole wild living thing better than Atsumu would have ever thought. Maybe survival instincts have overridden his phobias and compulsions. He knows it’s been hard for his lover, but he’s proud of him. But then again, if Sakusa never wants to step outside again when they finally get back, he won’t completely hold it against him. Atsumu will have to pamper him a bit, not that he minds. Getting to spoil Sakusa and spend nice relaxing quality time with him? He sees it as an absolute win. 

It’s nice to just take a stroll down the beach. The island and sea around it are beautiful. It’d even be better if they could, you know, leave whenever they want. He’s trying not to think about getting rescued. That may seem naive, but he’d rather deal with what’s right in front of him than an abstract concept. The reality is, they have their rescue signals going, and they’ll either get rescued, or they won’t. Atsumu isn’t going to waste his time contemplating it. 

If they aren’t rescued in the next three days, they’ll have to find their own damn way off this island. That’s when he’ll start thinking about it. Because one way or another, he _will_ get back home. Atsumu is way too stubborn to hear it any other way.

They’ve walked a few good kilometers when they see the beach in front of them turn into a large rock outcropping all the way up the shore. However, what lays beyond the rocky terrain is where the real surprise is. 

“UWAAH! Why is the sand black?!” Hinata points horrified at the beach they have yet to explore. “Is it possessed?! Is it a bad omen?!”

Black sand, huh? That’s pretty cool. Though he himself has no idea what’s the cause. Kageyama looks stupefied, staring at the sand like it might come alive and smite him down where he stands. 

“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just caused by volcanic activity,” his brilliant boyfriend explains.

Hinata’s eyes widen, “There’s a volcano here?!”

“Most likely it’s underwater. Besides, do you not realize how many volcanoes are in Japan?” He quirks an eyebrow at Hinata as if to highlight his stupidity. 

“What?! No way. Where?!”

“Mount Fuji is literally an active volcano,” he deadpans. “And Sakurajima erupted at the end of last year.”

Hinata looks like he’s been shot. Did he think Mount Fuji was just a mountain? To be fair, Atsumu had no idea there was a recent eruption, but he’s (for once) not going to open his mouth. His Omi-Omi is so smart. And watches the news like it’s a religion but to each their own. 

Curious, he bends down to grab some of the sand. It’s not fine like the sand where they washed up, it’s rough with tiny rock fragments. Most likely it’s basalt if he remembers anything about volcanoes and lava.

“What’s that?” Kageyama speaks for the first time since encountering the black sand. He’s pointing at a big ass lizard digging for something. 

Atsumu squints at it, trying to see better. The lizard is much larger than Ace and much less friendly looking. He deduces it’s a type of monitor lizard by its size and its long neck. It’s not a Komodo, so that’s all he really cares about. 

“Some type of monitor lizard. He won’t bother us as long as we don’t get too close.” 

“Ooh, what do you think he’s digging for?” Hinata asks.

It’s then that Atsumu realizes what the reptile is digging for, indeed. The most likely conclusion? Eggs. It could be a bird’s nest, but they haven’t seen many birds on the beach. The other beach nesters are turtles. He stares at the egg thief just digging away to its heart’s content. Meanwhile, Atsumu’s own heart is slowly breaking. Not the turtles! 

He grabs a handful of sand and runs toward the fiendish lizard. He hears Sakusa bark out at him, but he’s not about to let this bastard eat any of these turtle eggs. When he gets close, he yells at the monitor and flings the sand at it to try and scare it off. Thankfully, it quickly fucks off back into the jungle. That’s right you spotty ass bitch. 

Kneeling down, he inspects the disturbed area. Three sets of feet are quickly approaching him as he sees a bit of shell through the dark sand. 

“What the fuck, ‘Tsumu?! That thing could have bitten you and gave you rabies!” Sakusa seems near a panic attack at the thought.

Atsumu waves him off, “Ya can’t get rabies from reptiles.”

Sakusa is still scolding him and Hinata is asking a million questions when he sees a bit of movement from beneath the sand. Bending down closer, there’s a tiny little black head starting to break through. Oh. 

“Shh! Wouldja shut yer traps?! Look!” 

The chatter immediately ceases. The other three kneel down beside him. Sakusa on his left and Hinata and Kageyama to his right. They all have looks of wonder on their faces as the first baby turtle fully comes into view. The little leader is quickly followed by more popping out of the sand like daisies. 

“Whoa,” Hinata whispers. “So cool! You’re like the animal whisperer Atsumu-san!” 

Animal whisperer, eh? Thanks numerous nature documentaries for helping him achieve that title. He’d also like to thank his wonderful boyfriend for not complaining too much about his Thursday night binge watches. 

“These don’t look like normal sea turtles,” Kageyama says, though he still looks entranced. 

Normal sea turtles? All sea turtles are normal. Nature is such a beautiful bastard. But then again, Kageyama probably thinks all sea turtles look like green sea turtles, which these are not. “These guys are leatherback sea turtles. Largest turtles still alive today! They’re cool as fuck.” 

And thanks to him, these little dudes get to see today. He puffs out his chest.

“Whoa! Even bigger than the Gallop- Galapo- Umm,” Hinata tries to say. 

“The Galapagos is a tortoise, not a turtle. But yeah, even bigger than that.” 

Hinata continues to just watch in awe. Even Sakusa, who is not an animal enthusiast, seems taken by the creatures. There’s a swarm of them making their way down the shore and into the water. What a once in a lifetime moment. He’s glad he gets to spend it with Sakusa, though he wishes ‘Samu could see, too. Guess he’ll just have to brag about it later.

It’s easy for them to become so engrossed in watching the turtles that time passes without them even realizing. Sakusa has been diligently reapplying his personal sunscreen every time he so much as thinks the UV rays are blemishing his skin. Atsumu will not admit that he’s thankful for the bit he slathers on his face. Hinata is wearing a dry fit long-sleeved shirt and a hat, so he doesn’t have much to worry about. Kageyama on the other hand… He’s looking a bit red. That’s a him problem, though. 

Atsumu wonders if they should go any further down the beach or if they should start heading back. Looking in the distance, there doesn’t appear to be anything there, but it’s hard to tell. Plus, are they really going to find anything better than baby turtles? He thinks not. But he doesn’t want Sakusa to get anxious again if they go back too early. 

He had checked in with Iwaizumi before they left. Hoshiumi was stable, and he thought that if he got full feeling back by evening he’d be just fine. If Atsumu had to guess, he thinks it might be late afternoon now. 

So can he find a way to kill a few more hours? Of course he can. He’s Miya Atsumu. 

Suddenly Hinata gasps in fright. They all turn to where the ginger is looking. Atsumu scans the tree line but doesn’t see anything. 

“What’s wrong, Shouyou?” Kageyama asks, a hint of panic in his tone. 

“I- I thought I saw something.”

“Like what? An animal?”

“I’m not really sure. There was just like a dark shadow. It gave me a really bad feeling,” he says with a weary look on his face. 

Well that’s ominous as fuck. It doesn’t seem like he’s just pulling their leg either. Hinata genuinely looks bothered. 

“Maybe we should start headin’ back then,” Atsumu suggests. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to freak anyone out. It’s probably just my eyes playing tricks on me.”

Rising from his kneeling position, he helps Sakusa up as well. “Still, I’m not takin’ any chances. If ya thought ya saw somethin’ it’d stupid ta stay here.”

It’s agreed that they start back to camp. Whatever Hinata may have seen, Atsumu doesn't want to confirm its existence. Now Atsumu isn’t saying it’s some freaky island apparition, but he’s not saying it’s not either. Sakusa, on the other hand, is a skeptic on principle, so he's not going to be thinking in that direction at all. But hey, it’s not Atsumu’s fault! Sakusa likes horror movies and shit, so he’s subjected to watch them. And they just make his imagination work a little over time. It’s not like they freak him the fuck out. Nope. Atsumu is a calm, collected, rational being.

Arriving back, the sun is just beginning to set. Atsumu is relieved to see that Hoshiumi is sitting on a log by the fire with Iwaizumi and Hakuba. He’s holding Ace in his lap, it’s precious honestly. Their little group makes its way over to see how he’s feeling. 

“Hoshiumi-san! Are you all better now?” Hinata is the first one to make it over to the wing spiker. 

“Hey Hinata! I think so. Iwaizumi is just keeping an eye on me and says I have to take it easy, which sucks! This little dude has been keeping me company though,” he holds up Ace. 

Hakuba huffs, “Then what have I been doing?”

“Providing shade. You have quite the talent for it,” Hoshiumi says, keeping his attention on the skink in his hands. 

When Gao sputters, Atsumu cackles in delight. Oh, man. Sometimes he thinks Gao is actually an idiot, but he means well. He did kind of save Hoshiumi’s life earlier today.

“Ah! Ace we saw your bigger scarier cousin today!” Hinata exclaims, bending to talk directly to the skink.

The three men sitting there seem intrigued, so they join them to talk about what happened on the black sand beach. Hoshiumi seems rather put out that he didn’t get to see the big lizard, while Iwaizumi is interested in it. Of course, he’s a reptile guy. Makes sense. He doesn’t blame him. Reptiles are cool as hell. Sakusa will never let him get one though. He’s tried.

He and Osamu had a guinea pig growing up, and Atsumu loved the fuck out of him. His name was Hamtaro (yes he knows Hamtaro is a hamster, they were seven, don’t come at him) and he was the friendliest little shit. That’s when his “animal thing,” as Osamu calls it, started. There was a very brief moment in time when he considered being a veterinarian, but well; he’s kind of a star athlete. Maybe he can convince Sakusa to let him get some fish.

“And then like a hundred baby turtles started popping out!” Hinata retells the story dramatically. 

Gao smirks in amusement, “Maybe Atsumu will turn out like Urashima Tarou.” When everyone gives him a blank look, he frowns. “Seriously? Did none of your parents tell you bedtime stories?” More silence follows. Gao sighs, “You know, the tale of Urashima Tarou. The guy who saved a turtle and then was taken away to the Dragon Palace under the sea to marry the daughter of the Sea God? No one?”

Sakusa, who is sitting next to Atsumu, slithers his arm around his waist. “Sea God or not, he’s taken.”

Everyone laughs at how serious Sakusa looks. Atsumu himself isn’t sure if he’s making a joke, but his expression is so deadpan it’s hilarious.

No one mentions Hinata seeing something in the jungle. There’s no reason to freak everyone out over nothing. That’s all they need, paranoia. That’s how people start dying and shit.

Later that night after the sun has set, Sakusa brings Atsumu away from the rambunctious camp of their teammates. They’re not so far away that they can’t still see the fire burning, though. 

Turning, Sakusa takes hold of both Atsumu’s hands. “Thank you for looking out for me today.”

“There’s no need ta thank me, Omi,” he squeezes the hands holding his. 

“Still, you’re always looking out for me.” Sakusa goes to sit on the sand, bringing Atsumu down with him. He positions Atsumu so that he’s sitting between his legs and wraps his arms around Atsumu's waist. “I don’t ever want to become a burden to you.”

Atsumu leans back against his boyfriend’s chest. “Don’t say that. You’re never a burden ta me. I’d do anythin’ for ya, Kiyoomi.” 

Sakusa rests his chin on Atsumu’s shoulder and huffs out a laugh. “Just don’t do something stupid. You’re prone to leaping in without thinking.”

“Stupid? Me? I’d never.” He can literally feel Sakusa roll his eyes. Smiling, he leans his head onto Sakusa's other shoulder. He settles in to relax. “The stars are so pretty out here. Like ya can see the whole galaxy.”

The world around them is swept in a black curtain. The only light being the flickering fire back at camp and the luminescent moon above. Stars are scattered across the sky like glitter tossed on a canvas. 

“I actually thought about that our first night out here. I know how much you like them.”

Atsumu turns his head enough to look at Sakusa’s face, “Is that why ya brought me over here, Omi-Omi? So we could stargaze?” There’s a teasing lilt to his voice. He’s satisfied when he sees the other man’s face flush ever so slightly. 

Sakusa tightens his grip around him, “Shut up.”

Chuckling, Atsumu replies, “See? You take care of me right back.”

“If you say so. Now just tell me about the constellations,” Sakusa says, trying to get Atsumu’s attention back on the stars. 

“Oh Omi-Omi, do I have the tale for ya. Ya know that a lot of the constellations are named after Greek myths, right? Lemme see,” Atsumu gazes into the sky to find a constellation. “Ah, perfect! Lemme tell ya the tale of Perseus and how he ended up there.” 

They sit under the stars, which map out the tale Atsumu describes. He can feel Sakusa’s heartbeat against the back of his head and can hear the soft breaths of him by his ear. Held securely in Sakusa’s arms, Atsumu thinks he’s never felt more at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, though. Leatherback sea turtles are super cool. They're also critically endangered. But look at these little guys! 😍😭🥺  
> 


	7. Storm's Comin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A storm hits the island and the boys take cover to wait it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks for the continued support! Not a whole lot happens this chapter, not going to lie. It's mainly introspection and dialog, but I hope you still enjoy it!
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If you are caught outside during a storm there is no safe place outside, but you can take precautions. If you're in a wooded area, squat near thick growths of trees. If a cluster of trees isn't around, look for a low-lying open place away from trees, poles or other metal objects. Even tents have metal, so be careful!

The night is still young, though with how dark it is you wouldn’t think so. Tobio stares into the fire, just watching the flames flicker and the embers glow. Hinata sits opposite of him next to Hoshiumi. They’re still going on about something. He’s not sure what it is at this point, he stopped listening a while ago. 

Day four is coming to a close, and Tobio’s outlook is becoming bleaker by the moment. He’s been trying really hard to keep it together, and he thinks he’s been successful. But in all honesty, he’s not doing so hot. How is everyone being so calm about all this? Or are they all hiding behind a face of indifference like himself? If Hinata wasn’t here with him, Tobio doesn’t know what he’d do. Go insane maybe? Or perhaps his resolve to get back home to him would make him stronger. 

Out here, he’s nothing. It’s not like everyone is abandoning him, but it presses on a similar ache. Hinata easily flits around camp, and now that stupid lizard is always with him. He glances up at the two short spikers seeing them both touching the damn thing absentmindedly as they talk. Tobio could say something and join in, but he’s not the best conversationalist. His companionship (besides Hinata) usually consists of him and Ushijima sitting in silence with the occasional comment, him and Sakusa mocking their boyfriends, or him and Iwaizumi chatting casually. 

There’s a weird mix of feeling lonely and overwhelmed at the same time within him. Someone is always around. It’s not like they can all just fuck off somewhere. There’s no privacy, even though he saw Atsumu and Sakusa slink off together. It’s too dark to see very far. He highly doubts they’re doing anything indecent, though. Sakusa is far too conscious of the sand to do anything of that sort. 

Sometimes he wishes it was easier to pry Hinata away from everyone else. Even Bokuto is pulled away by Akaashi with just the mere call of his name. But then again Bokuto and Atsumu are far too obsessed with their boyfriends to not follow them like a puppy. Tobio feels like he’s the one that fits that role more than Hinata. He’s not dependent, but Tobio likes to have Hinata to himself. They still have a long-distance relationship and it sucks. He’s never really expressed how much he hates that, but how can he when they’re both living their dreams?

A flash of lightning is caught in his peripheral vision. Looking out over the sea, there appears to be a storm rolling in. The sky above is still perfectly clear, though the dark clouds looming over the horizon give an ominous sight. Hopefully, this one won’t be like the one that got them into this mess. That’s all they need right now, more shit to go wrong. The low rumble of thunder is heard in the distance. Looks like they’ll be getting hit pretty soon then. 

Iwaizumi approaches him, “Kageyama, can you help us secure a few things?”

Tobio nods and gets up to follow. It seems others are trying to weave a few more leaves on the roofs of the shelters to help stay dry. At this point, they’re all going to get wet. It’s just inevitable if it storms. But maybe those hanging leaf doors will help a little. 

Iwaizumi has him help dig some holes to support hollow bamboo shoots to collect rainwater. Iwaizumi doesn’t seem hopeful that they’ll stay upright if the wind is strong, but it’s worth a try. Tobio is far from an engineer or architect, so he doesn’t feel that he has much to offer. 

The storm is approaching at a rather alarming rate, and when the sky suddenly opens to let out a torrential downpour; everyone dashes into their respective shelters. He’s still sharing with Hinata, Sakusa, and Atsumu. They found no reason to change since their arrangement works just fine. However, now they aren’t sleeping, and Hinata has brought his damn lizard inside with him. They’re tucked in the lean-to huddled together with Sakusa and Atsumu sitting at one end and he and Hinata at the other. Tobio can’t even see the other two’s faces. Only when lightning flashes does he get a glimpse of them. He can see Hinata’s though, and that’s all that matters.

Water does come through the roof, but it’s the wind blowing it in from the front opening that’s the real issue. Tobio blocks it from hitting Hinata as best as he can. He’s terrified of him getting hypothermia again. He’s never been so scared in his life. Seeing Hinata unresponsive, cold to the touch, was a living nightmare. He’s not inclined to have a repeat.

The rain is so loud he can barely hear himself think. If he were back in his apartment, he would probably find it soothing. Atsumu jumps as a loud clap of thunder shatters through the air. Sakusa puts his arm around him and lets Atsumu snuggle closer. How long is this storm going to last? The wind is still picking up. It’s going to be another long night, isn’t it?

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to spend hours sitting here in awkward silence,” Hinata speaks up.

“What do ya suppose we do then, Shouyou-kun?” Atsumu asks, head still laying on Sakusa’s shoulder.

“I don’t know! We could play a game or something! Like Truth or Dare!”

Sakusa gives him a blank stare, “You’re suggesting that we should play party games meant for thirteen-year-old girls?”

“Hey! Those kinds of games are perfectly acceptable for adults! We have a lot more interesting things in our lives now.”

Atsumu gives a slight smirk, “He does have a point, Omi-kun. Unless ya got a better idea?”

Sakusa purses his lips, “I’m not playing Truth or Dare.”

Tobio doesn’t really care what they do. He could honestly sit here in silence. Sakusa could too probably. However, their boyfriends, on the other hand, are a different story. He’ll just agree with whatever Hinata wants. 

Sakusa finally concedes to playing Two Truths and a Lie. They all know each other decently well, so this ought to be interesting. 

Atsumu volunteers to go first. “Hmm. Alright, lemme think.” He taps his cheek a few times in concentration. “In first year, ‘Samu and I traded places for a week and no one noticed. I have a secret stash of chocolate hidden in our apartment. Omi and I have a sex tape.”

Sakusa snaps his head to his boyfriend, “What the fuck ‘Tsumu?”

One of those is not like the others, and it’s not because it’s the lie. Based on Sakusa’s reaction, the sex tape is real. Jesus. Although when he thinks about it, it’s not all that surprising.

“And you’d better not actually have chocolate hidden in our apartment,” Sakusa continues. Atsumu shrugs innocently. That man is anything but innocent. “You do.” Sakusa narrows his eyes at him. “Where?”

“So that means the first one is the lie!” Hinata says.

“Yep, you’re right. Sunarin and Aran noticed almost immediately. We fooled everyone else, though,” Atsumu smiles proudly at the accomplishment.

Sakusa hasn’t given up, “Atsumu, where’s the chocolate?” 

When Atsumu continues to ignore his question, Sakusa grabs him into a headlock and tickles his side. Atsumu _squeals_. Hinata’s sweet laughter joins in with the other man’s.

“Omi! Pl-please st-op! Omi!” Atsumu pleads brokenly. Sakusa does not stop. “Okay! Okay! It’s un-under the counter be-behind the toe kick!”

Sakusa stops and stares at his boyfriend still trapped in a headlock. “Did you deface our apartment to satisfy your ridiculous sugar cravings?”

“I’m sorry!” Atsumu wails. 

Hinata’s laugh and just the whole ridiculousness of the situation makes Tobio laugh as well, even Sakusa chuckles. Now that he’s not being accosted, Atsumu crosses his arms to pout. 

Hinata tries to calm down so he can continue the game. “Let me go next!” He leans against the side of the shelter to get comfortable. “I learned how to samba in Brazil. I lost my virginity to Tobio. I have a custom Black Jackals cheerleading uniform that I like to roleplay in.”

Tobio obviously already knows the correct answer, so he chooses to keep quiet. He can hear Atsumu hem and hawing, but it’s Sakusa who speaks. 

“The second one is the lie.”

“Whoa! You’re good Omi-san!”

He hums in acknowledgment. “I would like to know where you purchased that uniform though.”

“Oh, you want one, Omi-san?” Hinata has a teasing lilt to his voice.

“Yes, but not for myself.” There’s a squeak from across the lean-to and an _“Omi!”_. 

Tobio is finding more out about his teammates than he ever intended to. But he supposes that’s a two way street at this point. Besides, he has the sole pleasure of witnessing Hinata doing the samba _in_ the outfit. 

When he’s encouraged to go next, it takes a moment to think. “I’m thinking about signing with the Red Falcons next season. I was jealous of Atsumu because I thought he and Shouyou were together. I journal to help work through all my thoughts.”

“Aww ya were jealous of me, Tobio-kun?” Tobio likes Atsumu, he really does. But when he uses that smarmy voice, he has to remind himself.

“No. I could tell you weren’t.”

Hinata sits up and turns to him, “Wait, so the first one’s true? Why? I thought you loved the Adlers.”

“I want to be closer to you.” 

Suddenly, he’s being glomped by Hinata. “Tobio,” he whispers with a small sniffle. 

He wraps his arms around Hinata’s waist and pulls him closer. This is a positive reaction, he’s pretty sure. A lot of Adlers players are leaving this year anyway. There’s no way he’d ask Hinata to leave a team with all of the friends he’s made on it. Tobio doesn’t really mind though. Both Gao and Aran are on the Falcons. It’s a good team. 

“As touching as this is, I’m going to go so I can get it over with,” Sakusa says. Then his voice changes to something almost mischievous. Tobio has no good feelings about what’s about to come out of his mouth. “I like to gag Atsumu. We broke the bed once. Atsumu looks very pretty in Shibari.”

Atsumu chokes out, “Omi! Why?!”

“You brought this on yourself. I’m only returning the favor.”

Tobio blinks a few times. Who knew Sakusa Kiyoomi, the cleanest person he’s ever met, would be so dirty in the bedroom. He’s honestly not sure which one isn’t true. They all could be. 

“Umm, I’m going to go with the second one,” Hinata says.

“Nope. That actually happened.” Tobio can hear the smirk in his tone. Atsumu just sounds like he’s dying.

“How did you manage that?” 

He only says, “Weak headboard.” Like that really explains anything. Even he’s curious how the hell they broke a bed.

“So the third one then!”

“Oh no, he looks very pretty in Shibari.” 

“So you don't like to gag Atsumu?” Tobio asks, a bit surprised. He figured he’d take any chance to shut him up. 

“I suppose it’s okay sometimes, but I prefer to hear him scream.” Alright then. Sakusa is a sadist. Nice to know. 

Hinata laughs at Atsumu’s dying whale noises. 

A deafening boom silences them all immediately. If it’s even possible, the rain is coming down harder, hammering against the ground. Wind whistles through the trees and their shelter, causing it to creak. Looking outside, there’s nothing, only darkness. It’s like a void that only lights up when the demons crack their whips across the sky. 

Now Tobio isn’t a religious person, but did they upset some deity? Is that why they’ve been cast to this island and challenged again and again? To prove themselves redeemable in some twisted way? If so, Tobio accepts the challenge. He’s never been one to just let things go. But is whatever they did really so bad as to subject them to this?

He catches a glimpse of waves crashing onto the shore. It’s a good imagery of how his mind feels right now. Turbulent. Thoughts being pulled and thrashed against hard rocks without any respite to make sense of anything. Which way is up? Is he going to drown?

A tender touch to his left shoulder brings him to the surface. “Tobio, are you okay?” Hinata is looking at him with concern in his eyes. 

“Sorry. Just thinking.”

“Me too. I was thinking about Mom and Natsu. Like what are they going to do if I can’t get back? Who’s going to send them money and take care of them?” 

Tobio can hear how worried Hinata is. He knows Hinata’s family is not financially stable, putting it lightly. Mrs. Hinata was injured a couple of years ago and could no longer work like she used to. The woman ran herself ragged working two jobs. When Hinata earned a spot with the Jackals, he always sent at least half his earnings back home. Natsu also starts university this year. Hinata takes his role as “man of the family” seriously. He wants to provide for his sister and mother.

“We’ll get back, don’t ya worry Shouyou-kun.” Atsumu’s voice emerges from the darkness. “I do wonder what ‘Samu thinks though. I’d be a mess.”

“He knows you’re not dead. If you were, you’d be haunting his ass just to annoy him.”

He hears Atsumu chuckle, “You’re right, Omi. I’d find a way.”

As for his own family, they’ve never really been close. He’s started keeping in touch with Miwa a little more though. She’s probably worried. Then there are other people here who have a significant other who’s probably absolutely devastated. The thought of if Oikawa knows runs through his mind. Would this kind of news reach Argentina? Would someone contact him? He and Iwaizumi aren’t together anymore, but they’re still close. And Tobio is ninety percent sure Iwaizumi is still in love with him. 

Tobio was offered a spot on Ali Roma in Italy and had already accepted before Hinata came back from Brazil. When they faced off against each other for the first time since middle school, Tobio realized that Hinata is who he wants by his side forever. He wanted to cancel the contract, but he couldn’t. So he and Hinata had an even longer long-distance relationship for the year he was overseas. He couldn’t just make a simple weekend trip to see him. It was awful. How did Oikawa manage to make a decision like that? To leave everything behind - forever. He gave up his Japanese citizenship and can’t get it back. How did he so easily give up the man who was by his side from the very start? 

It took Tobio a few years to really figure out similar questions for himself, but Oikawa is smarter than him. Maybe he thinks Iwaizumi will wait for him, but how long does he plan on making him wait? Tobio is thinking way too far into this. 

Coming back to the present, Hinata and Atsumu are talking about the turtles they saw earlier. That’s another thing, what did Hinata see in the jungle? He’s inclined to brush it off as nothing like Hinata said, but there’s a part of him that’s weary. That’s normal, though, right?

“Gao-kun moved faster than he does on the court, that big oaf.” Atsumu huffs in amusement. Tobio must have zoned out again. They’re already on another topic.

“Right! And he stayed with him that entire time!” Hinata flails his arms around, hitting Tobio in the face with one. “Oops, sorry. But like, do you think he’ll ever do anything about it?”

“No, because he’s stupid.”

Tobio isn’t entirely sure what they’re talking about, but he knows they’re gossiping. Sounds like it’s about Gao and, if he had to guess, Hoshiumi. He swears he can hear both Atsumu’s and Hinata’s brains turning in thought. Nothing those two cook up ever ends well.

“Oi, don’t be meddling in their love lives,” Tobio inputs before anything gets out of hand.

“But Tobio,” Hinata whines and leans into him. “I’m good at this stuff. I even helped Atsumu-san and Omi-san get together!”

“I resent that,” Sakusa says in a neutral tone. “All you did was put us in an awkward situation.”

“I sped up your confessions by _at least_ two months.” Tobio hears Sakusa click his tongue and Atsumu snicker. “They love me, Ace, they just refuse to show it.”

“Are you talking to the damn lizard?” 

“He’s a _skink_ Tobio. And yes, I am.” 

As another wave of silence passes over the group, Tobio tries not to sulk. Why does he feel like he’s been replaced by a reptile? When lightning flashes, he can see Sakusa and Atsumu cuddled up together again, whispering to each other. Why are they so gross? Wrapping an arm around Hinata, he tries to coax him into cuddling as well. The rain is cold, and his shirt is already soaked. He relaxes a bit when his boyfriend leans into his embrace easily. 

Apparently the wind’s torment isn’t through with them yet as it howls and rips into their palm frond roofing. Under the strain, the structure groans and rattles. It’s a wonder that Ushijima knew how to secure all this together so well. However, nothing can be done about the leaves being shredded. 

With the rain pelting from two directions now, they brace themselves for a beating. The four men all scoot closer to the center for more shared warmth. This is the worst. 

The next morning after the storm has passed, it doesn’t appear as if anyone has slept. Everyone has dark circles under their eyes and looks worse for wear. Their camp is well, not destroyed, but it’s a mess. The shelters are not all intact and who knows if all of their gear is still tied down. Looks like another long day is ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you guys be interested in a chapter about the guys back in Japan? Or would you rather just stick with our island boys? Let me know!
> 
> Here's another picture of Ace for your viewing pleasure! 😃  
> 


	8. Interlude: Back in Japan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of what happened back in Japan when news broke about the missing National team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here we go! Here's our chapter about loved ones back home. It's going to skip around quite a bit so I could include several characters. I also included dates so you can get a little bit of sense of a timeline. March 28 is when the plane goes down. March 29 is what the boys are referring to as Day 1 of island living. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

March 28, 2021 7:24 PM Tokyo, Japan

After a stressful day, Keiji finally takes a moment to relax on his couch and turns on the evening news. Udai will be the death of him. He was supposed to be on a plane with Bokuto to Sydney right now, but instead, he was called away by a work emergency. Udai had misplaced his next panels. Again. Actually… He looks at the time, the plane should have landed by now. Checking his phone, there’s no new text from his boyfriend. Keiji frowns; that’s weird. Bokuto always texts him when he arrives somewhere no matter how exhausted he is. Maybe the flight is just taking a bit longer than they anticipated. 

A flash on the television with _Breaking News_ catches his attention. When he sees the headline, his entire world shatters. _National Men’s Volleyball Team Missing._.He turns up the volume. 

_“Reports from Sydney, Australia say that the aircraft never arrived after losing contact in the South Pacific. Contact has not been reestablished, and efforts are being made to search-”_

Keiji’s mind goes blank. He doesn’t hear anything else except for the ringing in his ears. It can’t be true. There must be some mistake. Maybe he’s just asleep, and Bokuto will come over to wake him and ask if he’s ready to head to the airport. Whatever he just saw must be wrong. Surely whoever let that air will be fired because there’s no way that-

His ringtone brings him back to his surroundings. It must be Bokuto telling him that they landed! Snatching up his cell, he answers without looking at the Caller ID.

“Koutarou! I was getting worried!” 

However, the voice on the other line is not his enthusiastic lover. “Akaashi,” comes Tsukishima’s shaky voice. “Ha-have you not heard?”

At his words, Keiji understands that it’s all real. Sucking in a stuttering breath he answers, “I… I did. I just hoped it wasn’t true.”

“I’m sorry, I- I didn’t know who else to call. I-” The other man sniffs through the speaker.

“Come over. Do you think you can make it?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Keiji drops his phone onto the couch, staring unseeing at the wall in front of him. Time must have passed, for he hears a knock on at the door. His legs are shaky as he robotically goes to answer it. 

When he opens it and sees Tsukishima red-eyed and puffy-faced, the dam finally bursts. The two men clutch each other, holding the other upright, as their bodies shake in uncontrollable sobs. The sounds heard can only be described as what a heart sounds like when it physically breaks, though the agony Keiji feels is worse than any physical pain. Nothing could be worse than this. Cut him open, let the wound fester, cauterize it closed, do anything. Just, please, give him back his Koutarou.

\---

March 28, 2021 8:02 PM Osaka, Japan

Osamu is finishing up the last bit of cleaning as he closes up for the night. It’s a Sunday, so it wasn’t terribly busy today. He has the radio on for some background noise. Growing up with Atsumu, having silence is a little unnerving to him. Speaking of his twin, he probably has at least three messages from him. He’ll have to reply before he starts spamming him. What a loser. 

_“We’ve been given an update on the National Men’s Volleyball Team.”_

An update? For what? Osamu leans against the counter to listen.

_“Japan has made a statement saying that every effort and resource will be put forth to investigate the whereabouts of the team. Those aboard the private flight included the twelve volleyball players, their coach, athletic trainer, and promotional manager. No-”_

Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Investigate the whereabouts? Osamu’s heart rate skyrockets to a rapid tempo. Dashing to the back room, he grabs his phone and checks it. Nothing. With shaking fingers, he Googles the team. All he sees is breaking news headlines. 

He taps on the first link and reads. Sinking to the ground, he takes in what his brain refuses to comprehend. There’s a loud keen occupying all audible sound. It takes a moment before he realizes it’s coming from himself. Sitting with his knees tucked up and grabbing his hair, his breathing only escapes through clenched teeth. Atsumu can’t be dead. Osamu would feel it, right? That’s his twin brother! He’d know! Right? Clutching at his chest, he swears he still feels him. His brother isn’t dead! He’s not! ...Right?

He’s still in the same position what may or may not be hours later. A shadow looms in the entryway to the back room, watching him. Is it Death here to take him, too? For one cannot exist without the other. That’s just not how it works. The shadow moves closer and kneels down next to him. Then he’s being embraced.

“Osamu… I came as soon as I heard.” The voice speaks in a low tone. It’s Suna. He lets himself be pulled to the other man’s chest, though he still can’t quite comprehend what’s happening. 

The two of them sit in silence. Osamu has never liked the silence. 

\---

March 29, 2021 3:21 AM San Juan, Argentina

Tooru is rudely awakened by his ringtone. It can’t be morning already. With a groan, he feels around for the device on his nightstand. Squinting at the bright light, he sees Hanamaki’s name. Why is he calling Tooru at… Three in the morning! Well, he’s awake now, might as well see what he wants.

“Makki, do you have any idea what time it is here? You know I need my beauty sleep.”

“Oikawa,” he pauses and Tooru can hear the apprehension in his voice. “Has anyone told you yet?”

He sits up, feeling like something serious is going on. “Told me what?”

There’s another pause. “Yesterday, the National team went to Australia for a match.”

There’s a vague recollection of that. Why is Hanamaki of all people calling him at _three in the morning_ about that? “Yes, what about it?”

He’s starting to get anxious with how long Hanamaki keeps taking to respond. “Their plane. It- it never arrived.” 

His sleep muddled brain isn’t quite understanding what he means. “What do you mean it never arrived?”

“Oikawa, I-” There’s a deep intake of breath across the line. “The plane. It crashed.”

Tooru blinks a few times and looks at his phone before bringing it back to his ear. What? “Hahaha that’s a very rude joke to play on me so early in the morning, Makki.” 

“Oikawa… I just thought you should know. I’m sorry.” Then the line goes dead.

That’s Hanamaki for you, back up to his old pranks. Although it’s been quite a long time since he’s even seen the other man. He was joking, right? 

Knowing he won’t be able to rest until he knows the truth, he pulls up a search. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he reads. A single tear slides down from his shocked, brown eyes, followed by another, and another, until soon, a steady stream of tears flow their way down his cheeks. Throughout it all, he does not make a sound. No sound could equate to what Tooru feels at this moment. 

“Hajime,” he whispers into the darkness. 

\---

March 30, 2021 8:47 PM Tokyo, Japan

Navigating through Haneda Airport, Satori makes his way to baggage claim. After a twelve-hour flight from Paris, he’s emotionally and physically drained. There’s not really a reason for him to have come back to Japan, but he feels like he needs to be here. There’s obviously nothing he can do about the situation, after all. But Ushijima is missing, how could he not come? Maybe it’s to be with his friends who are also mourning the loss. Though Satori refuses to believe that brave, strong Ushijima isn’t out there somewhere fighting for survival. His Miracle Boy… 

He’s in a half zombified state when he catches a glimpse of a familiar face waiting at another carousel. Oikawa Tooru. Of course, he recognizes the man who Ushijima mentioned on multiple occasions in high school. If his memory serves him right, he had or has a thing with the athletic trainer. So it seems he also felt the need to return. 

After grabbing his suitcase, he approaches the brunette. “Oikawa, long time no see.” 

The setter turns to him looking just as worn out if not more. “Ah, I remember you. Not your name, though. Sorry.” 

He waves the other man off, “Eh, it’s fine. Tendou Satori.”

“Right. So you’re here, too.”

Oikawa isn’t his normal cheerful self that Satori remembers. Although he was always rather serious on the court. When your loved one is missing, though, pretenses are hard to keep up. 

“I came as soon as I could. Although there’s not much I can really do.”

Grabbing his suitcase off the carousel, Oikawa adjusts his glasses before speaking again. “I just needed to be here for when they come back.”

He says it in such a way that Satori understands it means come back either dead or alive. That’s a rather grim outlook. When Satori boarded the plane, there hadn’t been any updates. Maybe they’ve found something by now. For all he knows, they’ve been found and are on their way back. 

Looking at Oikawa, he really doesn’t seem to be in a good place. Of course, Satori wouldn’t say he’s in a _good_ place at the moment, but the other man looks close to absolutely losing his marbles.

“Where are you staying?” He asks.

“I’ll book a hotel.”

Satori weighs a few options but ultimately decides that Semi will just have to deal with it. “I’m staying with a friend here in Tokyo. Come with me. I don’t think you should be alone right now.”

Oikawa gives him a teary-eyed look, “Thank you.”

When the two of them arrive at Semi’s apartment, the ash haired man doesn’t say anything about Satori’s extra guest. He just gives Satori a comforting hug before he shows them to the guest room and goes to make some tea. He and Oikawa lay on the western-style bed side by side. Even though they really don’t know each other, neither of them say anything about the proximity. There’s a mutual understanding that the other’s presence is comforting. 

Semi returns carrying a tray with three teacups. They both sit up to take the offered beverages with a small thank you. His friend sits at the edge of the bed, waiting for either of them to talk. 

“Semi-Semi, have there been any updates?” Satori asks, as neither he nor Oikawa currently has service with their foreign phones.

“They found the plane,” he says. Oikawa snaps his attention to listen. “It was in pieces at the bottom of the ocean, and only two bodies were found. They were identified as the pilot and Hibarida Fuki. They recovered the black box but haven’t released any information about it yet.” 

Oikawa looks hopeful for the first time since he saw him at the airport. “So that means they got out, right? They’re somewhere out there?”

“The current theory is that they deployed the life raft.”

Oikawa unexpectedly bursts into tears startling the other two men. “Then they’re alive! Iwa-chan is alive!” 

Satori puts his arm around his wailing companion and rubs soothing circles on his back. “I think they are.”

The look on Semi’s face says he’s doubtful, but Satori dares him to say one negative word. They’re alive. Satori refuses to believe otherwise.

\---

March 31, 2021 11:23 AM Tokyo, Japan

Both Kei and Akaashi have taken leave from work for the entire week. Neither of them would be able to get anything accomplished. He’s staying with his friend for the time being, as neither of them wants to be alone in the home they share with their missing boyfriends. Not to mention Kageyama and Hinata are mixed into this as well. Four people that he cares about are just... gone. 

Apparently an engine failure plus the weather caused the pilot to make an emergency sea landing. It obviously didn’t go well. Reports said he died on impact and the coach from cardiac arrest. No one has any idea where the rest of the passengers are though. The plane was off course, but who knows how far it drifted. The ocean current is unpredictable. If they did get in the life raft, they could have been stranded on it for days. They could still be on it. 

Kei knows that if that’s the case, survival is unlikely. He’s just trying not to think about that outcome. Kuroo is smart. He’d be able to use that nerd brain of his to think of something. There’s no way he’d just give up. None of those idiots are quitters. 

Yamaguchi and Yachi are driving him nuts. He knows they mean well, but the constant checking in makes him feel like an invalid. Besides, they are both hurting too. The five of them had grown close over the years at Karasuno. If Kei didn’t live in Tokyo now, he’s sure the two of them would barge their way into his home.

Ever since transferring to the Tokyo Museum and moving in with Kuroo, life has been smooth sailing. It’s been good. But it all came crashing down when he saw the news. He had tried calling Kuroo over and over again, just hoping he would somehow pick up. By the tenth time, he ended up calling Akaashi. Now, here he is. His cell dings with a new text message. He sincerely hopes it’s not Yamaguchi again.

**Kenma**  
A 200 cm Russian is crying on my doorstep.  
Help.

It takes Kei a moment to realize he’s referring to Lev Haiba. He’s a big shot model in Russia now, but apparently, he’s come back to Japan. Right, Yaku was on the flight. Lev always has been emotionally sensitive. 

Kenma hasn’t been dealing with this well either. He refuses to leave his home, not that he leaves much anyway, but he’s not even streaming or anything. It’s a rare day when Kozume Kenma isn’t in the mood to play a video game. 

**You**  
Akaashi and I will be over in a bit. 

**Kenma**  
Just bring overnight stuff. I can’t deal with this. 

**You**  
Alright. 

Kei and Kenma have become pretty good friends over the years, and he can feel the anxiety radiating over the texts. The fact that he’s asking both Akaashi and him to stay over is a big red flag. 

Walking into the living room, Akaashi is still sitting on the couch watching the news obsessively. Kei, on the other hand, can’t stomach looking at it. 

“Akaashi, Kenma texted me that Lev has shown up at his place, and he wants us to come over.”

The raven casts his tired eyes up to meet his own. “Alright.” Though he makes no move to get ready. 

“He wants us to stay overnight.”

At that, Akaashi lazily cocks his head, “Oh. I suppose we should get a move on then.”

The two men grab an overnight bag and head out to Kenma’s home on the outskirts of Tokyo. 

\---

A very weary Kenma lets them into his house. Keiji can hear Lev sobbing immediately. It’s an awful sound. It seizes his own battered heart in a vice-like grip. 

“Just please do something. I don’t know what to do. Order anything you want. I’ll be in my room,” Kenma says before making a swift retreat. 

He and Tsukishima exchange glances and proceed to find Lev. They locate him in the den. He's laying flat on the ground, face down in a very Lev-like fashion, letting the tears collect on the hardwood floor. 

The model looks up at their entrance. “My poor Mori! He isn’t cut out for this! I know he’s strong, but he’s small and delicate too!”

Yaku would literally kick his ass if he heard that statement. He and Tsukishima manage to maneuver him onto the couch. His long arms wrap around Tsukishima like an octopus, crying on his shoulder. He looks extremely uncomfortable, but to his credit, doesn’t push Lev off. Keiji decides to order niku udon for lunch. It’s a good comfort food, and they obviously all need it. 

He isn’t really sure how he’s managed to keep going every day. Having Tsukishima around is surely a blessing. If he were alone, he’s not sure he’d actually move at all. It’s like he’s in a haze. Time seems like a figment of his imagination in this grey world his mind has concocted. He’s never gone this long without hearing Bokuto’s voice. Is this what purgatory feels like?

When the udon arrives he manages to coax Kenma out of his room to eat with them. The four men sit in silence on the couch, sitting side by side. Lev is the one who breaks it with a choking sob. After that, the other three can’t hold it back either. 

Kenma’s silent hot tears flow down his face with small sniffles. Lev cries directly into his noodles. Tsukishima, who claimed he had no more tears to give, is full-on ugly crying. And Keiji? Keiji just let the drops fall between his occasional broken sobs. What a blubbering mess they all are. 

\---  
March 31, 2021 9:47 PM Tokyo, Japan

As Tooru lays in bed, he can’t sleep. Tendou is still up with Semi, but he just wants to drift off and be somewhere else other than this terrible reality. Now he thinks it may have been a mistake because all he can think about is Iwaizumi. 

He’s tried to live his life without regrets, but he’d be lying if he said he doesn’t have a few. One big one is overworking himself to the point of permanently injuring his knee. He doesn’t regret going to Argentina, but should he have naturalized? Tooru had been so sure at the time, but now… Does he plan on living in Argentina for the rest of his life? Had he not had any plans to go back to Japan? To Iwaizumi?

It’s hard to say. He was so focused on volleyball, on being the best, wowing the world, that he forgot something important. How many good years as starting setter does he have left anyway? He’s turning twenty-seven this year. Maybe four or five more if he’s lucky? Then what? Coaching? And who will be by his side supporting all of his decisions? 

Iwaizumi was always the one to pull him out of the hole he dug himself in. Every time he was too stubborn, he’d knock some sense into Tooru. Iwaizumi was always by his side since they were kids. They did everything together. 

When’s the last time he’s heard his voice? Is Iwaizumi content with how his life has turned out? Does he think about Tooru? Does he miss him? Did he want him to stay?

The big question is would Tooru have stayed in Japan if Iwaizumi had asked. Perhaps not, but then he’d know Iwaizumi wanted him to come back. Why did he let go so easily when it was one of the hardest things he’s ever done? It’s entirely too selfish, but would Iwaizumi wait five more years if Tooru asked? 

Because Tooru is still completely, undeniably in love with Iwaizumi Hajime. 

He vows that if Iwaizumi comes back alive, Tooru isn’t going to let him go again. He’ll do whatever it takes to have him be by his side. For as much as he loves volleyball, he’s discovered that he loves Iwaizumi more. It only took him maybe dying in a plane crash to figure it out. Funny how life hates Tooru like that.

\---  
April 1, 2021 1:37 PM Tokyo, Japan

Osamu is trying to be a rational human being, but he knows he’s not the easiest to be around at the moment. Suna has been watching him pace back and forth from his spot on the couch for at least fifteen minutes now. He’s a very patient (lazy) man and is hard to evoke much of a reaction out of. However, it seems like he’s about to finally snap. Osamu doesn’t mean to be this way, but things involving Atsumu have always gotten him out of sorts. 

Suna finally sighs, “Osamu, will you just sit down?”

“Then ya will just tell me to stop fidgetin’. I can’t help it, Rin,” he stops in front of him. “Just knowin’ that he’s out there makes me all anxious.”

Biting his bottom lip, Suna darts his eyes away before looking back. “Have you considered that he-”

“Don’t ya even dare finish that sentence,” Osamu’s entire demeanor goes dark. 

“It’s been five days without anything. It’s not healthy to-”

Osamu feels tears prick at his eyes. “Shut up! He’s alive! I can feel it!”

“‘Samu” Suna reaches out for him, but Osamu bats his hand away. 

“No, don’t ya ‘Samu me. Ya can’t tell me my brother’s dead and then-” a strangled sob escapes from his mouth. It’s too much. He can’t even say it. 

“Come here,” Suna pulls him into his lap. Osamu tucks his head into the crook of Suna’s neck. The hand stroking through his hair is comforting. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say that. You have your weird twin thing. If you say he’s alive, then I’ll support you however I can.”

He doesn’t deserve Suna. The words only make him cry harder and cling to his boyfriend tighter. He feels a kiss pressed on the top of his head. Osamu is being selfish. Atsumu is Suna’s friend too, and he must be hurting. But he’s always here to let Osamu cry all over him, just holding him tight. 

When Osamu finally calms down, he pulls away to look at Suna. “Thank ya for puttin’ up with me, Rin.”

He looks at the man in his lap with a deadpan expression. “I put up with you every day.” 

“Whatever,” Osamu rolls his eyes.

“Alright,” he pats Osamu’s thigh twice. “I’m sure you’re hungry after that. Come on, I’ll take you to that sushi place you like.”

Osamu pops up to his feet at the mention of food. Suna sure does know how to treat him. Getting ready to leave, he receives a text message.

**Akaashi**  
How are you doing? I’m sorry I didn’t check in with you earlier.

**You**  
I’m not doing well, but thanks for asking. What about you? And don’t worry about it. It’s not like I did either.

**Akaashi**  
I’ve been better. You’re not staying alone are you?

**You**  
No. I’m staying with Rin in Tokyo.

They text back and forth a few more times. Akaashi says he’s staying with a few friends who are also impacted. It’s almost bizarre how interconnected the volleyball community is. 

“You ready?” Suna asks standing by the door.

Pocketing his phone, he nods and walks to Suna's side.

Maybe it’s the weird twin thing as Suna calls it, but somehow he feels that Atsumu is happy right now, wherever he is. The thought makes Osamu smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that I included everything people wanted to see 🥺 
> 
> Here, have a mangrove monitor lizard AKA Mr. Steal Yo Eggs  
> 


	9. Under the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yaku tries to help around camp after the storm, even though he's miserable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for all your comments and kudos! This chapter we're taking a look at what's going on with some of our other boys. I really empathize with Yaku here. I have really thin, fine hair so the sun literally goes right through it and burns my scalp. Worst feeling ever 😭 Big sad. This is why I stay inside.
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: Build your shelter slightly elevated to help prevent loss of sleep due to insect bites and other pest-related annoyances, soaked bedding if heavy rainfall occurs, and potential danger from snakes, scorpions, or other small nocturnal predators.

Morisuke thinks he might actually be in hell. No, really, he’s serious. He’s stuck in the unknown, it’s fucking hot as sin, he has to do hard physical labor, and he’s exhausted. Oh, and he’s sunburned. Living the high life in Russia has really made him start taking things for granted. Is this whole debacle meant to be some kind of huge reality check? If he can just get back home, he promises he’ll start recycling and adopt that cat from the shelter he’s been eyeing.

Having lived in Ekaterinburg, Russia where the average temperature is just right above freezing for several years now, his body just isn’t acclimated to the heat anymore. And typically Morisuke isn’t a complainer and is usually the one scolding the complainers, but this is truly awful. 

When he was offered a spot on the Cheegles, it came as a shock. He’d only been in the V. League for a year. Originally, he hadn’t ever thought to play internationally, but when they told him how much they were offering, he couldn’t say no. The pay difference between Russian volleyball and Japanese is astronomical. Morisuke grew up in a very modest household. He just wanted a little taste of what it was like to want for nothing, can you blame him? With his new paycheck, he could send money to his parents to repay them for everything they've done for him and still have more than enough money.

Then one day he sees fucking Lev and Alisa Haiba in a magazine spread. He hadn’t seen Lev in years, and to say that he looked good was an understatement. When Morisuke left Japan, Lev was in his third year of high school. They hadn’t kept in contact. Especially since he rejected all of Lev's advances. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Lev, it was just that Morisuke felt like the other wasn’t mature enough for the kind of relationship that he wanted. He would have felt like he was taking advantage of Lev’s naive nature. 

Then Lev suddenly showed up at his front door. How he got Morisuke's address, he’s really not sure, but he wasn’t as annoyed as he pretended to be. This time when Lev pursued him, he accepted. So, yeah, they’re together now, going on three years. Now Morisuke misses his stupid face. He’s willing to bet Levl is an absolute disaster right now. His face and emotions have always been rather expressive. 

It’s still early in the morning as his teammates all pitch in to fix up camp. No one slept well last night. The storm was brutal. Between being in an unfamiliar environment, getting drenched, and how loud it was, he’s not surprised. Everyone is dragging themselves around to salvage what’s left of their supplies. Well, except for Hoshiumi, who Iwaizumi has ordered to still relax just in case. Morisuke has taken it upon himself to make sure the man complies. God knows none of these other hooligans will. 

As he picks up random debris around their campsite, he can see Hoshiumi fidgeting. Having to stay still must be the worst punishment, like a child in timeout. It must be killing him. He’s pretty fortunate all considering the bad shape he was in yesterday.

Then there’s Gao lurking over there taking quick glances at him. He’s not sly. Honestly, it’s pretty painful to watch. It’s obvious Hoshiumi has zero idea that Gao is interested in him. Morisuke is half tempted to just tell him and see what happens. 

Hinata, Hoshiumi, and him have an unspoken pact that they look out for each other. It’s not a complex, okay? It’s just when you’re constantly surrounded by people over 183 cm tall, it’s a sad reminder that genetics hate them. Solidarity. 

After collecting an armful of sticks and leaves, he scans the beach to see if there’s a pile others are dumping the debris. It’ll make decent kindling. He supposed he’ll just start one by the fire pit. 

Walking over, Hoshiumi is immediately alert with pleading eyes. Now, Morisuke isn’t a doctor obviously, but surely he can do something small. Maybe get a new fire going? Is he weak for giving in? 

“How are you feeling?” He asks as he deposits his hoard of debris. 

“My hand still hurts, but otherwise, I’m fine. I just hate sitting here and doing nothing.”

“Think you can sit here and start up a new fire?” 

“Well, I can sure try. I don’t know where all our gear with the fire starters are though.”

“Hm. I’ll find it for you.”

Hoshiumi sighs and flops on his back, “Thanks I guess.”

Morisuke snorts at his melodramatic friend and heads off to find Kuroo. Somehow he suspects the rooster head knows where stuff is. 

He finds him remaking his sundial, which has been surprisingly useful. Not that Morisuke is going to tell him that. 

“Kuroo,” he calls when he’s closer. 

He looks up and gives a skeezy smile, “Yakkun! And to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Morisuke rolls his eyes, already exasperated. “Where did you guys store all the gear last night before the storm hit?”

“We wrapped it in the weather blanket and tied it to a tree trunk, but I’m pretty sure someone has already retrieved it by now. Try Ushiwaka.” 

Morisuke sighs and goes to search for Ushijima. He feels like he’s on a damn fetch quest. Unfortunately at the end of this, he’s not going to be rewarded with useful items. Does life experience count as experience points? Why is he thinking like Kenma? 

Shaking his head, he spots Ushijima already repairing the shelters. The man is diligent and reliable, so it’s not all that surprising. Their stock of gear is nearby, so he won’t have to bother him. Now he just has to find the fire starter in this mess. It doesn’t appear that much care was put into bundling everything up, which really is to be expected. No one wanted to lose anything but still. It’s fair to be annoyed, right? What if something got damaged?

He carefully sorts through the items, placing them in a neater arrangement while he searches. Hinata pops by while he’s in the midst of his sorting. 

“Hey, Yaku-san!”

“Hi, Hinata. Did you need something from here?”

“Yeah, one of the stone hatchets so I can cut down some more palm leaves.”

That’s something Morisuke has already found. He hands it to him.

Hinata beams at him, “Thanks!”

“Be careful!” He yells as the other runs off. 

Since their other tree monkey is out of commission for the time being, hopefully Hinata won’t overdo it. No one else can climb like them. It’s ridiculous. When Bokuto had asked Morisuke to do it on the first day, he almost blew a gasket. Just because he’s small does not immediately mean that he can climb a tree. 

Finally he finds the damn thing and returns to Hoshiumi, who is now messing with Hinata’s reptile thing. Morisuke shudders. Reptiles kind of freak him out. Especially snakes. Lizards are just like snakes with legs. Like, look at those little finger toes. No thanks. He almost had a heart attack when he touched it by accident. 

“Here, I finally found it,” Morisuke hands the fire starter to him. 

Hoshiumi places Ace on the log beside him. It looks like he has already made the firepit up with logs and tender. All he needs is a good spark, which he’s able to achieve quickly. 

“Nice,” he sits back and watches the fire. “Now what. I’m so bored!” 

Morisuke sits down adjacent to him so that he’s not next to the reptile. “Well, there’s not really much you can do on a deserted island.”

“Sure there is! There’s an entire jungle and ocean!” He flails his arms around dramatically. 

Morisuke hums thoughtfully, “You can go talk to someone while they work?”

Hoshiumi's shoulders slump, “I mean, I don’t want to be an inconvenience. Everyone is busy.”

Looking around, he sees Gao looking over again. He quickly looks away when he’s caught. Morisuke rolls his eyes. “I don’t think Gao would mind.”

Hoshiumi raises an eyebrow and scrunches his nose. “Sasquatch?”

“Well, he keeps looking over here, so I assume he’d enjoy your company.”

“But why?”

Morisuke contemplates his answer. He can skirt the truth, or well… Eh, fuck it. They’re old enough that pining is just sad. Plus, everyone knows that Gao isn’t ever going to do anything with Hoshiumi being so oblivious. “He likes you.”

He’s not surprised when Hoshiumi gives him an incredulous look. “Gao?! But we’ve known each other since high school!” 

Morisuke doesn’t deem that with a response, only a blank look. They’ve all fucking known each other since high school. And most of them are in a relationship with said people from high school. 

“Okay, maybe that’s not a good example. But he’s never acted like it!” Again, Morisuke only offers a deadpan look. “Really?!”

“It’s obvious to literally everyone else. He’s not subtle.”

“Oh.” Hoshiumi places the skink on his lap and starts gently stroking its head to occupy his hands. 

“And what are your thoughts on that?”

“I’m not sure. I just never-” He pauses, looking down at Ace. “I think my brain needs to process.” 

Morisuke stands up and pats Hoshiumi’s shoulder, “Take your time.”

It’s now approaching midday, the worst part of every day on this island. He can already feel his poor abused skin burning again. He’ll never silently judge Sakusa again for overpacking. The man is prepared for anything, hence his personal supply of sunscreen. His ivory skin is still perfectly unmarred by the harsh UV rays. Really, he’s concerned about getting sun poisoning. He’s not quite to that point yet, but he’s red and miserable. Maybe Sakusa has some aloe and will show pity on him.

He just wasn’t prepared. Yes, they were going to Australia; yes, it’s hot there; yes, he planned on going to the beach. But he did not plan for this. All his sunscreen and other hot weather gear is currently in his luggage at the bottom of the ocean. 

Speaking of midday, his stomach growls reminding him that he hasn’t eaten yet today. Right. He hasn’t had much of an appetite with the heat, but he needs to keep up his energy. Where even is their food? He has a terrible feeling that it’s soggy. Gross. Here’s to hoping someone at least put the meat in something waterproof. 

He’s pleasantly surprised when he finds that someone was indeed smart enough to keep the food dry. At least that’s one less thing they have to worry about. Grabbing a piece of the dried meat, he goes to sit in the shade underneath a tree. He actually misses Russia’s cold ass air. 

After this, he needs to keep helping out, but it’s painful to move his shoulders too much. The rubbing of his shirt against his raw shoulders is about to cause a blister. He doesn’t want to be the guy who just sits under the shade, but it’s tempting. The other’s would understand, but Morisuke’s own pride won’t let him give in to the sun mocking him. Maybe he can just sit here for a little longer. 

“Hey, Yaku, are you okay?”

Blinking his eyes open, he sees Komori looking at him with concern. “Huh?”

“Here,” he hands him a water bottle. “You might be dehydrated.”

Morisuke gratefully takes the bottle and swallows down some of the warm water. “Thanks.”

Komori is one of the nicest people, seriously. He’s roomed with him on several occasions and is currently sharing the other lean-to with him and Hoshiumi. It’s a comfortable arrangement. All their personalities are able to mesh well together. 

“No problem. Have to make sure everyone stays in top shape. Although, not much can be done about your sunburn,” he looks Morisuke over with a sympathetic expression. 

“Why is no one else as miserable and sunburned as me? Not that I wish this on anyone, it just seems weird I’m the only one that looks like a lobster.”

Komori shrugs, “I don’t know. I’m glad it’s not me.” Morisuke glares at him, to which he only chuckles. “Sorry, but it’s true. Kiyoomi might have something. Wanna go check?”

He nods and takes Komori’s offered hand to get up. Bless this human being. If anyone can convince Sakusa to share besides Atsumu, it’s his dear cousin. Maybe this fetch quest will actually give him a much needed reward. 

They find Sakusa patching in new palm fronds to his shared lean-to with Atsumu and Kageyama. All three of them are perfectionists and are meticulously fixing each and every hole. It seems Sakusa is putting his new weaving skills to use. 

“Your guys’ shelter looks even better than before,” Komori says when they approach. “Want to do ours like this, too?” 

Sakusa steps back from his work to face his cousin. “Sure. You’re helping, though.”

Komori nods, then gets to the matter of why they came over. “Would you happen to have any aloe?” He gestures to Morisuke. 

Atsumu glances over, “Ya sure look overcooked there, Mori-kun.” 

Morisuke pins the blonde with a glare, “Just because I’m burnt and miserable, don’t think I won’t come over there and kick you in the shin.”

Atsumu raises his hands in mock surrender with a smirk. Damn asshole. 

Sakusa nods and pulls out his backpack from inside the lean-to before producing a bottle of Aloe Vera. Bless this man. “You look like you need it,” he says with a tiny hint of a smirk. 

Nevermind, he’s an asshole too. They deserve each other. Although, he is gifting him with this. At least Kageyama doesn’t bother with their conversation. He’s too engrossed with fighting the palm to fit where he wants it. 

He thanks Sakusa and heads to the safety of the trees again. The sun reflecting off of the sand isn’t helping the situation in the slightest. Carefully, he removes his shirt to expose more of his burn. Why did he think taking off his shirt that first day was a good idea? The regret is strong. 

“Do you want some help?” Komori asks. 

Morisuke nods pitifully. This is so embarrassing. He hates asking for help. When the cool feeling of aloe hits his back, he sighs audibly in relief. 

“You should probably try to stay out of the sun as much as you can. You’re pretty pasty from always being bundled up in Russia.”

“Ugh. I know. Being out here really makes me miss it. And Lev,” Morisuke sighs. “What about you, Komori? Are you still with Suzumeda?”

“Ah, yeah I am. I miss her, too. I’m sure Kaori is worried. Or she’s already eyeing Kuroo’s job,” he chuckles. 

Morisuke knows Suzumeda from volleyball training camp in high school. She was one of Fukuroudani’s managers. Now she works as a sports promoter in Tokyo. Kuroo introduced Komori and her when they were working together at one of EJP Raijin’s games. As they say, the rest is history. They are a stupidly cute couple. Both way too smiley and kind. 

“Tell her to make the bastard sweat.” Someone has to keep that scheming cat on his toes in the workplace. Komori just laughs in delight. Morisuke can feel Komori's joy just talking about his girlfriend. It’s infectious and he can’t help but chuckle as well. 

Komori passes him the aloe bottle so he can apply the rest himself. Morisuke thanks him before he goes to join his cousin with patching the shelter. He knows that aloe isn’t going to heal his burn, but it feels so much better. Really, whoever figured this out was a genius. 

Not too far away, he spots Hoshiumi waving to him to come over. He puts his shirt back on and sighs. This ought to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some images of what the shelters kind of look like. The first is a lean-to (what SakuAtsu and KageHina are in and what Komori, Yaku, and Hoshiumi are in). The second is the main shelter. It's not exact, but it might help you get an idea!  
> 


	10. Well This is New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoshiumi confronts his feelings for Hakuba.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~ I'm here with the next installment. This fic has reach over 200 kudos and I can't thank you all enough for the support. I knew when I started this that the idea was a bit off the beaten path, but I wanted to write it. So thank you to everyone that has joined me on this journey. 🥰
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: When out in the wilderness, be sure to prepare your freshly caught/hunted food far away from your shelter. Blood and other parts of animals that you don't eat will attract other predators to the area.

Kourai has been told before that he has an obsessive personality. He focuses on one thing and doesn’t tend to let it go. First, it was basketball. Then it quickly morphed into being better and different than his brother, Akitomo, which led to volleyball. That, of course, is his biggest and longest obsession. He’s competitive by nature, holding on to his rivalry with Hinata for years. He will fight you over saying his dog is not absolutely the best. But his obsession has never been directed at an actual person.

After Yaku told Kourai of Gao’s interest in him, he didn’t really know what to say. It’s something he’s never really considered. Volleyball has always been his number one priority. Of course, he’s had relationships, it was just never anything serious. 

What would it be like to have someone at the center of his entire world? He’s seen how happy his friends are in their relationships. Kourai would be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little bit envious. It’s just that no one has ever lit that spark. The one that makes him feel completely and utterly devoted.

The only dedication he has outside of the sport is his dog, Taro, whom he misses greatly. They go on morning and evening runs together and go to the park. Taro even knows how to bounce a volleyball back to him. Literally man’s best friend right there.

Initially he wanted a big dog, but when he saw the Japanese Spitz he kind of fell in love. Yes, he’s one of those people who shamelessly shoves his phone with pictures of his dog in people’s faces. And has he smuggled Taro onto the volleyball bus? Yes. Yes, he has. Taro loves going for rides and the team loves him. Even Kageyama, who claims animals hate him, adores the dog. Kourai doesn’t like leaving Taro for long and he doesn’t trust anyone except Hirugami to take proper care of him. 

Speaking of his best friend, he really wishes he could talk to him about this whole Gao thing. Did he notice something? Surely Hirugami would have said, right?

It just doesn’t make sense. Gao always tries to get a rise out of Kourai. He’s always teasing him or sitting too close or doing something stupid. What an idiot. But then there are times when he randomly brings Kourai’s favorite snack or makes him laugh or always indulges him in his crazy antics. Then there’s the fact that he saved Kourai from drowning. 

Oh shit, shit, shit! It really has been super obvious! Why didn’t the stupid bastard ever say anything?! How does Kourai even feel about this?!

He’s known Gao since high school. That’s a pretty long time. When did he develop these feelings for Kourai? They’ve always just been friends. Kourai has never- but what if he did?

He takes a moment to think about the giant of a man in a romantic sense. It’s kind of weird, but he doesn’t hate it. Gah! Why are feelings so hard?! This is all Yaku’s fault! He’s the one that brought this to his oblivious ass’s attention!

He sees Komori helping Yaku rub something on his sunburn. It looks awful. Kourai is silently grateful for having jobs that have kept him mostly out of the sun’s harsh rays. When he manages to meet the Yaku’s eyes, he waves him over. He needs someone to talk to about this. Yaku’s the one who brought it up, and he’s dating a giant. There’s no one better qualified. 

Yaku approaches him with a slightly raised eyebrow like he’s already expecting what this conversation is going to be about. “Yes, Hoshiumi?”

“I’ve thought about it, and now I’m confused and need advice.”

“Okay, well, what kind of advice do you need?”

“You’re dating a giant, right?”

Yaku’s brows furrow in confusion, “Yeah, but I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

“Well, how did you know you liked him?” Kourai asks, shuffling his feet. 

Now the other man just looks exasperated. “Why is this about the height?”

“I don’t like feeling inferior!”

“Does he make you feel inferior?”

“Well… no. He just kind of teases me,” he kicks at the dirt with his foot. Gah, why is he so bad at this? 

“I can’t tell you how you feel. Just go talk to him or something now that you have this new perspective. See if you feel anything different.”

Kourai sighs in defeat, “Alright.”

“Good. Now excuse me while I go lay in the shelter until the sun stops hating me,” he says and makes towards their lean-to. 

Left to his own devices, he scans the area for the 203 cm man. He’s clearly not hard to find. He’s down on the beach using the signaling mirror. Obviously, no one has seen their desperate signals, but they still try every day. 

He marches straight up to Gao, determined to figure this out once and for all. Oh man, this has become his latest obsession. Great. “Gao.”

He visibly startles, “Oh, hey Kourai-kun. Um. What’s up?”

“Do you like me?”

Gao drops the mirror. “What?” His voice is slightly strangled. Clearing his throat he reaches down to retrieve the object and wipes off the sand. “I mean, of course, I do. You’re my friend.”

Kourai rolls his eyes, knowing that Gao knows exactly what he’s talking about. “In a romantic way.”

Gao fiddles with the mirror in his hands and looks more nervous than Kourai has ever seen him in his life. Maybe confronting him outright like this wasn’t exactly what Yaku meant. Thinking about it, yeah, this definitely is not what Yaku meant. Whoops. 

“Is it that obvious?” He finally speaks. 

“Apparently,” Kourai mutters under his breath. “Since when?”

“Well, I had a big crush on you in high school. Then after you joined the Adlers it kind of went away since I didn’t really ever see you anymore. But when I got into division 1 a few years later, it just got even worse. And now being able to play on the same team with you again, I-” He rambles on before cutting himself off with a blush taking over his face.

That’s a lot to take in. Shit, Kourai really should have eased into this. Though there is a tiny increase in his heart rate and fluttering in his stomach. He didn’t really expect Gao to just spill everything like that, but he is the kind of idiot that would.

“Oh. I didn’t know.”

“I know.”

They stand there awkwardly, occasionally glancing at the other. Why is it the only time Kourai thinks things through properly is when he’s on the court? He needs to say something. It’s then he remembers a vital fact.

“Oh. I never really properly thanked you for, you know, saving my life. So thanks, Gao.”

“Uh, no problem,” he rubs the back of his neck.

“Like did you even think? What if it really had been a shark attack?”

Gao looks him straight in the eyes with a soft expression, “The only thing I was thinking was that I had to get to you in time.”

Oh. Oh, his heart kind of hurts. The way he’s looking at Kourai right now. Has he always looked at him like that? His knees feel a little weak. “Gao…” 

“Hey, it’s alright. It’s not like I expect you to feel the same. I just don’t want things to be weird between us.”

“They won’t. Take a walk with me?” He offers his hand to him.

Gao looks at his hand with wide, hesitant eyes. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I can walk down the damn beach,” he huffs. “Now are you coming or not?”

A much larger hand envelopes his own, and he leads them down the west beach towards the area Hinata told him about yesterday. He may not insist they go all the way there, but Kourai wants to get away from camp just for a bit. This way he can spend time with Gao and have a little more time to think. 

They’re quiet as they walk down the beach hand in hand. This is…. nice. Kourai likes how his hand feels in Gao’s, the way his palm completely engulfs his fingers and all. He looks up at the man beside him. He’s an entire foot taller than Kourai. It’s maddening. Though he vaguely remembers the brief amount of time he was held in those strong arms. He felt safe and secure. 

And of course the bastard is attractive. Kourai isn’t blind. Sure he’s insufferable sometimes, but it’s kind of endearing. Yaku complains about Lev all the time. The same goes for most of his teammates actually. Is that how it is? Your significant other is an insufferable idiot, but they’re your insufferable idiot? Because if that’s the case then… Oh… He likes Hakuba Gao. He likes Hakuba Gao a lot.

Kourai feels his face heat up as he realizes that maybe he has always had a fixation on his teammate. Just not in the ways he understood. Between always thinking he’s stupid or wondering what he’s going to do today or if he’s going to ask Kourai to hang out at that stupid arcade in high school. It seems Hakuba Gao consumed his thoughts much more than he ever considered. 

Coming to a halt, he squares his shoulders and faces his walking companion with fists clenched at his sides. “Gao, I like you!”

Hakuba looks stunned, “Really?”

“Yes!” Then he’s in the air, tucked snuggly against a broad chest. He wraps his arms around the giant’s neck, though his legs still dangle. “Oi! Put me down you Sasquatch!” 

“Just a bit longer,” he mutters into Kourai’s shoulder.

Kourai doesn’t fight this request, though he complains half-heartedly. For once, he doesn’t mind being on the smaller side. He wraps his legs around Gao for better support, feeling like a damn koala. He’s set gently back on his feet sooner than he honestly would have liked. 

The silence between them is no longer uncomfortable. Kourai forces Gao to sit down so he doesn’t loom over him like a tree and rests his arm on his shoulder. He’s not going to discuss how Gao is now the perfect height for this, okay? Shut up. 

Maybe he should have actually listened to Iwaizumi and rested today. He feels fine, but his energy is not where it usually is. The stupid shell thing really took it out of him. That was probably the scariest moment of his life. He’s just diving around the reef and sees a cool looking shell. How was he supposed to know it was occupied? Like sorry, bro, but you don’t have to be a dick and sting people!

The venom almost immediately made his hand go numb, so he couldn’t tread water very well in his panic. Plus, it hurt like a bitch. His hand still has a nice red welt on it. For a moment, Kourai really thought he might drown. Then when he was on dry land, he thought the venom was going to kill him. Obviously, no one was sure what it was and how potent the venom was. 

When he lost feeling in his arm, it was terrifying. And then he couldn’t even move it. His entire left arm was paralyzed. Do you know what that’s like? Zero out of ten, does not recommend. If Iwaizumi hadn’t had at least an idea of what to do, would that venom have worked its way to his heart and lungs? He’d one hundred percent be dead. Dunzo. 

He really owes his life to both Iwaizumi and Gao. Shit, thinking about how close to death’s door he really was is scary. At least he’s able to say he lived through it and can enjoy this moment. 

It’s approaching early evening, so the sun reflects glistening sparkles on the water in orange and pink hues. A bit off from the shore, Kourai sees something grey break the water’s surface. He straightens up and narrows his eyes to make sure his mind isn’t playing tricks on him. Nope. That’s definitely-

“Dolphins! Gao! Look, look!” He excitedly points at the animals doing twists as they leap out of the water.

“They kind of remind me of you.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Look at those aerial maneuvers they’re doing. They hang in the air just like you do. And they’re kind of amazing, aren’t they?” Gao turns his head to look at him. 

Kourai isn’t sure what comes over him, but he grabs Gao on either side of his face and kisses him square on the mouth. Gao lets out a noise of surprise, but he quickly recovers and reciprocates. 

He’s gently pulled into the Gao's lap where he fits comfortably with large hands on his hips. Their kiss is slow and gentle, just feeling the other’s mouth. Gao is warm and with every press of lips, Kourai feels himself melt a little bit more. 

Who would have known? Who would have known that crashing into the ocean and having to live on an island would lead to this? Kourai is always one for crazy adventures and activities, but somehow this might be the craziest of all. Between stabbing and fending off wild boars, climbing trees, almost drowning, and everything else; falling for a sasquatch is definitely the least believable. Because, really, who in their right mind would do that? 

When they pull back from each other, Kourai lets himself relax against Gao. Arms tangle around him as they continue watching the dolphins from before. Now that he and Gao are together, what’s that going to mean when they get back to Japan? They live at basically opposite ends of the country. Kourai doesn’t particularly like the idea of that far of a distance, but he can make it work. 

Ugh, then there’s telling everyone. At least Taro has already met him and likes Gao. That’s an obvious requirement. If his dog doesn’t like you, sorry, you’re out. The team most likely won’t be surprised. Or maybe they will be because it actually happened. Heh. That’ll show them not to underestimate Kourai, he smirks smugly.

Hakuba suddenly bolts to his feet, bringing Kourai with him and holding him tightly.

“Oi! What the heck, Gao!” He looks up to Gao’s face to see him looking back at the jungle, eyes scanning the trees. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I thought I saw something.”

Kourai scans between the trees himself, “Like what?”

Gao hasn’t taken his eyes off of the jungle, “I’m not sure. It was like a shadow, so I didn’t get a good look. It just gave me a weird feeling.”

Part of him wants to go check it out, but he knows Gao wouldn’t dare let him go into the jungle. Most likely it’s just some animal or just a weird tree shadow. But the way Gao seems kind of freaked out makes him feel uneasy.

“Well, since you’re being a big sissy, maybe we should head back,” he tugs on Gao’s hand to try and pry his attention away from the source of his anxiety.

Thankfully, Kourai is able to get him walking back towards camp. He keeps looking back over his shoulder, though. Giving in to the unsettled feeling in his stomach, Kourai turns to look and gasps at what he sees. Among the trees there’s a shadowy figure with glowing white eyes staring back at him.

The gasp alerts Gao, who turns as well. This prompts him to immediately pick Kourai up and sprint back towards camp. Kourai clings to Gao, looking back all the while. The vacant glowing eyes bore into him, unmoving. Then he blinks, and it’s gone.

They make it back to camp in record time. Gao pants, out of breath as others wander over to inquire what’s going on. Both of them totally saw it, right? Is the island psychosis setting in? Does he tell everyone they saw some weird entity in the jungle?! Or was it just an animal? 

“Are you guys alright?” Bokuto asks, concerned.

Kourai answers with a watered-down response, “Yeah. We just thought we saw something and got kind of spooked.”

“Hm, just be careful,” he says before wandering off again.

Gao comes to stand by his side, “You saw it right?”

“The shadowy thing with the glowing eyes? Yeah.”

He nods, “What was it?”

“I don’t know. An animal maybe?” That’s what he’s going to tell himself, or he may never be able to sleep here again.

Kourai stays close to Gao’s side as they make their way to the firepit and sit together on one of the logs. Leaning against the sturdy man beside him, he tries to relax. Everything is fine. They’re back at camp, and everything is normal.

A hand cups his jaw, bringing his head up to meet the other’s eyes, “Hey, are you okay? You’re awfully quiet.”

“Yeah, just a little tired.” The shell creature sting took a lot out of him yesterday. He’s still trying to regain all his energy. That doesn’t mean he likes having to sit around and won’t wear himself out not following Iwaizumi’s orders though.

“See, I knew you should have rested.” Kourai punches Gao lightly in the arm, gaining a chuckle in response.

Gao leans down closer to his face, hesitating; as if he’s asking if this is okay. When Kourai nods, he’s met with those tender lips again. Gao had better be careful, or he might just get obsessed with this feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoshiumi's dog Taro and the Spinner Dolphins they saw!  
> 


	11. Competitive Spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata wants to help raise everyone's moral at the expense of Kageyama's sanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Hope you are all having a good week so far. Thank you for all your comments last chapter! I enjoy reading your thoughts. A lot of you are really worried about this shadow with the eyes 😅 I don't mean to worry you. Too much. 
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If you lost your paracord or don't have any to start with, you can use ordinary plants to create a rope. This requires finding long grasses and weaving them together to make them strong. Rope can be really handy. You can use it to help build a shelter and trap animals. You can even use the rope to climb or set an injury.

Tobio can’t find Hinata. Again. He promised that he wouldn’t run off without telling him after the last time, so right now Tobio is caught between worry and anger. It’s getting dark, and he’s nowhere to be found. Patrolling around camp, he sees Sakusa in the same state as himself. Oh god. Did Atsumu and Hinata go off together somewhere? 

“Sakusa,” he approaches Sakusa, who looks extremely agitated. “Have you seen Shouyou?”

“No, and I’m guessing that means you haven’t seen Atsumu.” He groans when Tobio shakes his head. “I’m going to kill him.”

Looks like he and Sakusa are going to be planning a double homicide. 

He looks around camp to see if there’s anyone else that’s noticeably missing. If Atsumu and Hinata actually did run off into the jungle again, he hopes someone else is with them.

“Hey, hey, hey! Bro!” Sakusa’s and his attention is drawn to Bokuto’s loud greeting. 

“Bro!”

Kuroo strolls casually into camp with Atsumu and Hinata. They all have backpacks full of fruit and other items and are holding lots and lots of vines. What the fuck?

Sakusa narrows his eyes on the blonde who has yet to notice his livid boyfriend. “Miya Atsumu! Where the _fuck_ have you been?”

Atsumu’s face goes ghostly white. “Omi-Omi! I was just, uh, helping Shouyou-kun here with some stuff,” without any hesitation, he shoves Hinata forward as the scapegoat. 

“As I recall it, you gladly volunteered when I told you what I was doing!” Hinata huffs, leveling a glare at him. 

Kuroo starts collecting all the vines from his bickering companions, “Now, now. Why don’t you tell your lovely, worried boyfriends why you were off galivanting in the jungle with me.”

Tobio turns his angry eyes on Hinata as he starts explaining. “Well, I thought we all needed a little pick me up after everything, and I had the idea that we could play beach volleyball! I did bring a ball in my carry-on after all! But we don’t have a net. And so I asked Kuroo-san for help, and he said we can make a simple one with vines. So then Atsumu-san heard us and wanted to come.”

Sakusa seems very unimpressed, turning his gaze to Atsumu with a raised eyebrow. He dives into his own story, “So we went down a way we did before, except we went a little further. We found a cave, Omi! It was… Scary.” Atsumu leans in and whispers, “There were a bunch of skulls in it.”

Sakusa curls his nose, “So you walked into an animal graveyard?”

Atsumu widens his eyes, “Omi, no. They were human skulls.”

Tobio exchanges a look with Sakusa and Bokuto before looking to Kuroo for answers.

“It’s true. There were dozens from just the small portion we saw from the entrance,” Kuroo says, still fiddling with the vines.

By now Sakusa looks very unwell.

“And look at this!” Atsumu says, pulling something out of his pocket. In his hand, he holds two items. One is a long strand of tiny round pieces of shell and the other is some kind of jewelry piece.

“Dude! I told you not to take those!” Kuroo exclaims, pointing at the objects.

“Why not?”

“You just took grave offerings from some ancient burial ground! Dude!” Kuroo looks like he’s freaking out a little.

Atsumu doesn’t seem to understand his qualms, “Ain’t that what archeologists do?”

“Well, I guess; but leave it to the professionals! Didn’t you get a weird vibe from that cave? Like some freaky island juju?” 

“I dunno? Maybe?”

“Haven’t you ever seen things like The Mummy?!”

Atsumu’s face scrunches in confusion, “No?”

Kuroo throws his hands in the air, exasperated. Tobio has seen it thanks to one too many movie nights where it was Tsukishima’s turn to pick. He guesses that Kuroo’s source is the same. Tobio can say that, yes, he has seen every installment of Jurassic Park including the inferior (in Tsukishima’s words) newer installments to the franchise. Tobio isn’t really sure what he has against Chris Pratt. Riding a motorcycle along a pack of raptors is pretty badass. 

“Well, nothing we can do about it now,” Kuroo sighs. “Let me see it, then”

Atsumu passes over the objects as the six of them look in interest. It’s kind of cool. So this island used to have people on it? What happened to them? Are they still here somewhere?

Bokuto peaks over Kuroo’s shoulder, “Do you know what it is?”

“Hm. I’m pretty sure these little shells were used as currency. I’ve seen something like it in the museum. And this,” he examines the jewelry, “is like a bracelet or armlet. It feels like it’s carved out of shell.” 

“Neat!” Atsumu takes back the items and promptly tries on the armlet. It rests snugly on his bicep. He’s very unperturbed wearing some ancient artifact that belongs to some dead guy.

Kuroo and Bokuto start walking off with the vines, talking about the impending volleyball game. Atsumu is able to somehow coax Sakusa into following them. Hinata tries to casually join the group, but Tobio is having none of it and grabs his arm.

“And where do you think you’re going?” He says in a hard tone.

Hinata flashes a large, fake, innocent smile and bats his eyes, “To help make a volleyball net?” 

“Shouyou, we literally had this talk two days ago! I swear to god if I find your body in that damn jungle I will toss it in that cave you found and pray for some ancient island curse to torment you in the afterlife!”

Hinata’s eyes widen comically into saucers, “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think Tobio?” 

“Not if I have anything to say about it. Are you trying to make me angry? Or are you just insanely stupid?”

The ginger deflates at his comment. Tobio can’t find it in himself to be sorry. “Look, Tobio, I’m sorry. I really am. But I know you haven’t been dealing with this as well as you’re pretending to. I just wanted to try and do something to cheer you up.” Hinata wraps his arms around his waist, resting his cheek on Tobio’s chest. “I just got too excited and forgot to actually tell you. I was thinking of you the whole time though.”

Tobio tries to not let that soften his entire resolve, but ultimately he fails. Hugging Hinata back tightly, he buries his face in soft orange hair. “Dumbass.”

After a few moments, Hinata is able to persuade him to rejoin the group from earlier to help put together this makeshift volleyball net. Sakusa is already at work weaving the vines together. He’s more at ease than he was earlier, seemingly enjoying what his hands are doing. This man is literally going to take up crocheting or something. He can’t wait to see Atsumu in a terrible handmade sweater.

As the sun sinks into the horizon, they’re making decent progress with the net. It’ll have to be finished tomorrow though. The atmosphere is pleasant, and it’s Hinata that inevitably breaks it with some random ass comment.

“So Kuroo-san, what did you mean when you were talking about The Mummy? I thought that was in Egypt.”

Kuroo glances up from where he’s tying two vines together. “Nothing really I guess. That cave was just really creepy. Cool, but creepy. Overactive imagination, you know?”

“I sincerely hope you weren’t actually thinking that some supernatural entity is going to come after us now,” Sakusa says flatly. “Otherwise I may just have to off you myself.”

Atsumu suddenly snaps his head up and quickly takes off the armlet in alarm. “Oh god! I have to take it back! Why didn’t ya stop me!”

It’s a well-known fact that Atsumu is easily spooked, and Sakusa takes great pleasure in it. Many of the other Black Jackals do as well. Sakusa is a huge skeptic, not believing in anything that hasn’t been proven or seen himself. There’s a large possibility he only made the supernatural comment to fuck with his boyfriend. Looks like it’s working.

“I did try to stop you!” Kuroo retorts. “And sit down! You can’t go back in there at night!”

Sakusa is smirking, seeming very pleased with himself. 

Bokuto turns a manic grin on Atsumu, “Oooh maybe all the skulls in that cave will form together to create a huge skull monster.”

“Bokkun, ya stop that right now!” He points an accusing finger at the man. “Ya’ve been watchin’ too much anime!”

Bokuto only cackles in delight while Hinata is covering his mouth to suppress his giggles. Even Kuroo is giving his scheming cat grin. Why does everyone like to make fun of their setters? At least with Atsumu around Tobio is off the hook.

The six of them decide to call it a night and head in to have dinner. It consists of fruit and dried boar meat. Not the best, but it could be worse. Much worse.

That night Tobio is suddenly awoken by an ear-piercing scream. Sakusa, Hinata, and he all bolt upright to see Atsumu clutching his head and breathing heavily. 

“Atsu, hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” Sakusa says as he wraps his arms around him.

“O-Omi,” he clutches at his boyfriend with a pathetic whimper. 

Hinata rests a comforting hand on Atsumu’s shoulder, “Atsumu-san, are you okay?”

They hear some commotion outside and then Bokuto’s voice, “Are you guys okay?! What happened?!”

“Sorry, jus’ a bad dream,” Atsumu whispers. “I’m sorry I woke ya.”

Bokuto says it’s no problem and he’s glad everything is fine before retreating back to his own shelter. He’ll presumably let everyone else know everything is okay. Tobio imagines that Atsumu’s scream woke up the entire team.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sakusa asks, rubbing his back gently.

“Ya- ya died, Omi. I couldn’t- I didn’t-” he starts sniffling into Sakusa’s chest. “Ya can’t leave me, Omi. I wouldn’t be able ta take it.”

“Shh. I’m not going anywhere.”

Tobio lays back down once the Atsumu’s sniffling quiets. Hinata snuggles in close to his side, holding him close. Folding himself around the smaller man, he kisses Hinata’s temple. Both are probably thinking the same thing. The fear of losing the other. Atsumu isn’t the only one here with those fears.

When Tobio wakes up the next morning, he’s alone in the lean-to. This marks Day Six on the island. They’ve been here for almost a week. No one is coming, are they? It’s been too long. Is this how it’s going to be for the rest of their lives? Are they going to end up building actual houses for everyone and start a little village? Are they island people now? Like a tribe? What even is the meaning anymore? 

In the middle of his existential crisis, Hinata peeks into the shelter. “Come on, Tobio! Get up! It’s time for volleyball!”

The dread recedes for the moment at the mention of actually playing the sport. Climbing out of the bamboo structure, the sun is bright in the sky, but it’s definitely still morning. At least he didn’t sleep half the day away.

Down on the beach, he can see the completed vine net strung up between two bamboo stalks. It looks like boundary lines have been drawn in the sand as well. Everyone is mingling around the area waiting for Hinata and him. 

“Alright everyone! Beach volleyball is simple. First, you can obviously see that the court is smaller. Second, the ball,” he picks up the one laying on the sand, “is bigger and softer so it seems lighter than an indoor one. In beach, it’s a two-person team. So there are no positions. The game is played to 21 points and is best of 3 sets. Set 3 is played to 15 points. Rules are the same, except blocking counts as 1 of the 3 touches allowed. Any questions?” 

When he’s met with silence, he tells everyone who wants to play to find a partner. Then it’s chaos as everyone scrambles around to claim who they want. Yaku decides to sit this one out and uses someone’s jacket to shade himself so he can still watch. Hyakuzawa also only wants to watch, for he may or may not have some kind of food poisoning. 

“I want Chibi-chan! He has an innate advantage!” Kuroo exclaims.

Bokuto pulls Hinata towards himself, “No, it’s time for my disciple to become my sensei!” Tobio casually stares Bokuto down until the owl brain releases his boyfriend. “Actually, bro, you should be my partner!”

“Bro!” 

Problem solved. 

Hinata looks up at him with puppy eyes, “You’ll be my partner, right Tobio?”

“Obviously.” As if he’d say no.

Once teams are settled, Hinata decides he will referee. Tobio suspects he just wants a front-row seat to his teammates failing spectacularly at their first attempt at beach volleyball. 

First up is Ushijima and Iwaizumi vs Bokuto and Kuroo. Hinata says it’s fair this way since each team has a handicapped player. Both Kuroo and Iwaizumi resent that statement. 

As Bokuto goes to make the first serve of the game, the wind carries the ball right out of bounds. The man is seemingly baffled. Ushijima retrieves it and shakes the ball to try and get the sand off of it.

“You have to smack it, Ushiwaka!” Hinata shouts. 

Ushijima looks perplexed but gives the volleyball a good hit to knock off the remaining particles. His serve, while still powerful, is not quite as intense with the different ball and is received by Bokuto. Kuroo makes toward the ball to make a set but instead ends up face planting. 

Hinata snickers along with most of the team, “Oh man,” he wipes a tear, “I really wish I had a camera.” 

Kuroo spits some sand out of his mouth and scowls at the men laughing at him. “Go ahead, laugh it up. Just wait until it’s your turn!”

Team Ushijima and Iwaizumi end up winning. Bokuto and Kuroo both pout and claim vengeance.

Hoshiumi pulls Gao onto the court demanding to play next. Tobio raises an eyebrow at them. They disappeared together yesterday and now they appear to be rather… close. He sees Atsumu and Hinata exchange a look and wiggle their eyebrows. And for some reason, Yaku has a satisfied grin on his face. Komori and Aran take the spot on the other side of the net. This match ought to be interesting. 

Sakusa stands next to Tobio with his arms crossed, “How much you want to bet Gao eats shit on the first volley?”

“I’m not taking a losing bet,” he replies. Sakusa smirks at his answer. Neither of them have faith in their towering teammate. 

As predicted, Gao goes down. Hoshiumi then proceeds to sit on his back and cackle like the little imp he is. The taller man smiles fondly and easily stands up with Hoshiumi now clinging to his back. 

They find out that Aran is a terrible setter, and Komori lacks control on his spikes. Gao also lacks in setting skills, but Hoshiumi makes up for it. Therefore, it’s not a huge shock that team Gao and Hoshiumi win. 

“Alright. Are you guys ready to see some real beach volleyball?” Hinata smirks deviously. 

“Bring it on Shouyou-kun!” Atsumu challenges as he runs onto the sand court. 

Sakusa and he exchange a look. A look that says, _My boyfriend and I are better, and we’re going to crush you._ All four of them are probably a bit too competitive for their own good at times. 

Out of goodwill, Hinata says Atsumu can serve first. Atsumu is obviously displeased by the lack of power behind his first serve with the bigger ball as Hinata easily makes a dig. This allows Tobio to set it perfectly for him, scoring them the first point. Sakusa turns on Atsumu with a _What the hell was that?_ look, to which he shrugs sheepishly. 

Tobio serves next, and he agrees that this feels a lot different, but he can work with it. Sakusa makes a diving save. It’s a bit short, but Atsumu being the bendy setter he is, still gets it up to his boyfriend’s preferred spiking position. 

As the game nears its end, Tobio can proudly say that he has only eaten sand twice. That’s much more than Atsumu can say for himself. He’s pretty sure Sakusa actually tripped him on purpose at least once. 

They’re at game point, and it’s Hinata’s serve. It’s actually been a decently close match, but they have this in the bag. And it has absolutely nothing to do with Kuroo heckling Atsumu during his serves. Even so, he'd better keep one eye open while he sleeps tonight. 

Hinata’s serve is met by Atsumu bumping the ball to Sakusa so he can set it. He runs up for a spike, but it’s shut down by Hinata. 

“Gah!” He wails in frustration while Hinata cheers.

Then Tobio is being attacked by a wild orange being, easily catching him in his arms. “Tobio!” At the other’s enthusiasm, he can’t help but smile and spin him around, which only elicits laughter from Hinata.

It’s mid-afternoon, and their water supply is running a little low thanks to everyone working up a sweat from playing. It’s decided that someone from each of the three losing teams have to go fetch more as a penalty. So as Bokuto, Komori, and Sakusa are gathering the gear, others are challenging the teams they didn’t get a chance to play against.

“Omi! I’ll go. It’s fine. Ya don’t have to,” Atsumu is trying to pull the backpack away from his boyfriend.

Sakusa tugs the bag back, “I’ll be fine. We’re going to the one you found down the beach, not into the jungle.”

“No! You can’t go!” Atsumu shouts and refuses to let go of the bag. He looks like he’s freaking out. The rest of the team stops and stares. No one really knows what’s going on or why Atsumu is so out of sorts. 

“Atsu,” Sakusa places his hands on the setter’s cheeks, cradling his face. He looks to be saying something, but it’s too low to hear.

Tobio sees Atsumu nod. Then he’s also packing up gear. Looks like he’s going with them. 

“What do you think that was about?” Hinata asks from his side as they watch the four start heading towards the river mouth.

“I don’t know.”

“C’mon, Tobio! I want to play against Hoshiumi-san and Hakuba-san!” He drags Tobio back to the court to wait for their turn. 

Sitting down next to Yaku, he pulls Hinata into his lap so they can enjoy the game of Team Iwaizumi and Ushijima vs Team Kuroo and Aran. Yeah, this is going to be over quick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's pictures of the shell currency and armlet carved from a giant clam shell Atsumu found.  
> 


	12. Premonition or Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atsumu feels uneasy about the trip to go fetch water. With his nightmare still flooding through his mind, is his sanity at stake or something much worse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people of the world! I love you all, and I hope you don't hate me after this chapter 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 But yes, you have picked up on my very blatant foreshadowing. Umm... I'm sorry. 😭
> 
> **Trigger Warning**  
> Major Character Injury  
> I tried to keep it relatively light, but it is a major point this chapter. Again, I'm sorry 😭
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: If you are ever in an emergency situation and are in need of a tourniquet, many materials can be used. Whatever you use, be sure it’s wide and thick enough to prevent injury to the limb. It should be two to four inches wide to evenly distribute the pressure around the limb. Don't place on the joint or use for an injury not located on a limb. Continue to apply pressure even when it's in place.

Walking down the beach next to Sakusa, Atsumu is trying to keep his hands to himself. He knows he’s being irrational, but that nightmare really scared him. It surprised him just as much as everyone else when he practically lost it when Sakusa tried to leave camp. The idea of his boyfriend being out of his sight for that long just triggered something in his mind. There was something in his gut that told him to not let him go. He couldn’t get Sakusa to stay, so he compromised, and now here he is.

Atsumu would feel much better if they were both back at camp surrounded by everyone else. He doesn’t want to be trekking to get water. With how paranoid he feels right now, the preferred option is to be cuddling in their lean-to and whispering sweet nothings to each other. 

He can still see it, Sakusa dying. Over and over and over. Drowning, burning, executed, murdered, tortured. Each scene was more horrific than the last, and Atsumu could do nothing. Each time he was trapped behind an invisible wall, unable to save his lover. He could hear his screams, his pleas for help, a maniacal laugh in the distance, Sakusa asking Atsumu why he wasn’t doing anything. It was the worst thing he’s ever experienced in his life. 

Banging against a forcefield of some sort and screaming Sakusa’s name, though he didn't think the other could hear him, was distressing to put it lightly. And he just wouldn’t wake up. Atsumu tried to find a way to pull his mind from the evil clutches of the images playing in his head, but they wouldn’t let go. It was like lucid dreaming, but he had no control of what happened around him. 

The last scene he remembers before waking is Sakusa standing several meters away from him and some terrible entity creeping up on him from behind. Atsumu tried to yell and warn him, but Sakusa just looked at him confused. Then the shadow sunk its sharp claws into Sakusa, impaling him with each nail. In the chest, shoulder, back, stomach, neck… Blood slowly oozed out of the wounds as Sakusa’s eyes became blank and lifeless. The figure’s glowing white eyes bore into his soul. Then he woke up screaming.

So, yeah, sorry if he’s being clingy right now. Volleyball was able to take his mind off of it for only so long. It’ll be fine, though. There’s four of them, and it’s not like any of those things will happen. His boyfriend isn’t going to be going into any water, he’s not going to be burned alive, and there are no murderers on this island unless someone just absolutely loses their marbles. It’s fine. F. I. N. E. FINE. 

Maybe Kuroo was right. Maybe there was some freaky island juju in that cave. Like, what was he thinking? There were literal human skulls in there, for crying out loud! Why did his dumb ass take shit from there? Is he being haunted now? Is he cursed? 

Oh god, what if he’s cursed, and now Sakusa is fucked by proxy? Or maybe it’s a curse to take away the most important thing in his life. Not that his boyfriend is a thing, but you know. But, like, what if that shadow thingy is actually coming for him?!

“Atsumu.” Sakusa’s voice pulls him from his thoughts.

“Yeah, Omi?”

Sakusa comes to a stop and takes his hand, “Where’s your mind right now? Because it’s not here with me.”

He notices Bokuto and Komori walk a bit further down the beach to give them some privacy. Turning to face the onyx eyes of his boyfriend, Atsumu sighs, “I’m sorry. I jus’ can’t get those images outta my head. It was awful, Omi. And I know none of those things are gonna happen, but I can’t help but be scared. ‘Cause what if-”

“Shh,” Sakusa pulls Atsumu into an embrace where he promptly buries his face in Sakusa's neck and wraps his arms around his waist. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. It was just a dream. I’m right here, Atsu. I’m not going anywhere.” 

He continues gently stroking Atsumu’s head until he pulls away slightly to look up at him. “I love ya so much, Kiyoomi. I’d do anythin’ for ya.”

“So you’ve said,” Sakusa cups his face and traces Atsumu’s bottom lip with his thumb. “So I’ll say this again too. I won’t let anything come to that, so don’t do anything stupid. I love you, Atsumu. It’ll be alright.” He leans down to kiss him softly on the lips. “Let’s finish getting this water, and then we can just relax together for the rest of the evening, okay?”

Atsumu presses himself closer to Sakusa and nods. Ugh, he hates feeling so weak like this. Releasing him, they rejoin their other two companions. 

“Everything good?” Bokuto asks. 

“Yeah. Let’s keep goin’.”

Bokuto tries to keep the atmosphere light with cheerful conversation, and for the most part, it works. By the time they reach the river’s mouth, Atsumu is in much better spirits and laughs along with his boisterous friend. 

The water here is really brown. It’s full of dirt from the watershed carrying in silt and other parts of soil. The surrounding area is kind of swampy. Trees with big protruding roots dip into the water with algae clinging around it. 

They need to follow the river inland a bit so that it’s not too brackish. It’s still loads better than traversing the jungle with the heavy ass water. Komori shows them where he and some others have gotten water before that didn’t taste of salt. They trust his memory. 

Atsumu is a bit downriver from the others looking for snails that might like to hang out on the rocks and grasses in this area. He wants a chance at something that’s not grossly dried boar meat, and whether Sakusa admits it or not, he saw the man eat some when he had brought in a previous haul. And he liked them. Well, at least he didn’t curl his nose in disgust. 

So he scans the area rather thoroughly, even when he glances upriver to check on Sakusa from time to time. It’s then that he sees something. Blinking rapidly, he checks again just to make sure he’s not just overreacting. Slinking its way over the water is a pair of eyes. And he knows. He knows what kind of eyes those are. Really, it makes sense, but who would have thought about that? 

They’re close to Australia, in a swampy area right next to the ocean. Of course, they live here. Honestly, Atsumu should have known. He’s the animal guy here. So, no, that’s not a drifting log. That’s a crocodile. Using the clues of what he knows and how big the top of its head is, it’s a saltwater. And Sakusa, who is crouched down filtering water, is in its direct path. 

It’s fine. He just needs to swiftly get everyone away from the water. These are ambush predators. There’s plenty of time. The reptile isn’t moving fast, just casually gliding. When he sees the saltie sink under the surface, he panics.

He bolts towards Sakusa and yells while motioning to get away from the river, “Kiyoomi! Run!” 

Instead of running like Atsumu said, he stands and turns his head to Atsumu in question. When he sees Atsumu’s panic, his first instinct is to go to him. And it’s only thanks to his professional athlete reflexes that his hesitation doesn’t get him killed. 

Atsumu watches in horror as jaws rocket out of the water and clamp down right where Sakusa’s neck had been only milliseconds before. In his surprise, Sakusa falls down to avoid the attack. Now he sits there staring an over four-meter predator in the eye. 

“KIYOOMI!”

No, no, no! This can’t be happening! He is not about to watch the love of his life die from being attacked by a crocodile! Maybe it wasn’t actually a nightmare at all. Maybe it was a warning. Because this time it’s not just a dream. This time, he can really die. This time, there’s no invisible wall. This time, Atsumu will save him. 

Atsumu is often known for doing and saying things impulsively. This, for example, includes when he accidentally confessed to Sakusa right in the Black Jackals locker room two years ago. There’s also that time he punched some dude who grabbed his ass at an izakaya no questions asked. He tends to fight with Osamu a lot before asking any questions as well. But what he’s doing right now, running towards a giant ass crocodile, is probably the craziest. Because who runs at a creature that’s over twice their size and can literally rip your arm off?

The crocodile is one meter away from Sakusa’s legs, and Atsumu is probably three meters from the reptile. When he sees the croc start forward, there’s no time for any semblance of thought. That’s why he flings himself on top of the animal. 

His eyes shoot up to meet Sakusa’s wide panicked ones. By this point, Bokuto and Komori are also on the scene panicking. 

“Oh my god, Kiyoomi!” Komori runs down and pulls his cousin up forcefully and drags him away from the crocodile.

Bokuto looks on in shock, “Tsum-Tsum!”

“Atsumu!” Sakusa tries to run back to him like an idiot. Thankfully, Bokuto grabs him as well. 

He did it. He saved Sakusa. Even as the crocodile thrashes with Atsumu on its back trying to throw him off, he can’t feel regret. Though he now doesn’t know how he himself is going to get out of this. He probably won’t. 

While his senses are heightened with adrenaline, he can’t hear anything except for the blood rushing in his ears. He can feel the crocodile’s wet scaly skin beneath him as he balances on the animal. And then there’s what he sees. Sakusa is screaming in Komori’s and Bokuto’s hold. There’s their terrified faces, the despair, the question of _What can we do?_ Nothing. The answer is nothing.

Atsumu can’t think. What’s he supposed to do? What’re you supposed to do if you’re attacked by a crocodile? Punch its snout? No, that’s sharks. When the reptile fails to knock him off, it starts to slide itself back into the water. 

So this is it. This is where he dies. He knows once he’s in the water it’s over. The crocodile will drown him or it’ll bite him and he’ll bleed out or a combination of the previous. He has to make a break for it. That’s the only thing he can do.

As he feels the cold water on his legs, he pushes off the creature and scrambles for purchase on the muddy riverbank. He’s still prone and can’t quite get his footing to stand up. That’s when he feels it, the sudden sharp pain and pressure on his thigh. Looking over his shoulder, his left leg is currently inside the crocodile’s massive mouth from the mid-thigh down. 

Being pulled into the water is a surreal experience. He thinks he might hear Sakusa, Bokuto, and Komori screaming; but he can’t be sure. His last sight from above the water is Sakusa’s devastated face. Then he’s submerged. 

The shock hasn’t quite set in yet. Right now he’s still in fight or flight mode, and flight has obviously failed. Now he has no choice except to fight. He can’t let this beast death roll. If it does, he’s dead. He has to live. He can’t die here. Sakusa is up there waiting for him. Then there’s Osamu back home in Japan. Atsumu can’t leave them behind. 

_Think, Atsumu, think!_ Remember something useful from all those documentaries. Crocodiles… Crocodiles have sensitive eyes! 

Atsumu twists in the water and starts trying to poke the creature in the eyes. Hitting any part of the crocodile’s face is the only thing he can attempt. He fights and thrashes with all the strength he can manage. Miya Atsumu will not be bested by a goddamn crocodile in the middle of fucking nowhere! When the pressure lets off his leg, he swims for the surface.

Gasping for the fresh air filling his lungs, he vaguely sees his friends at the river’s edge and paddles to them as fast as he can. Strong hands grab and pull him out of the water as he continues to suck in breath after breath. 

He’s flat on his back, and voices flicker in and out of his perception. When he sees his Omi-Omi’s beautiful face hovering over him, he feels at peace. He saved him. His lips are moving, but Atsumu can’t hear him. His head feels like it’s filled with cotton. Atsumu isn’t even really sure what’s happening. His senses are all numb, and he feels like he’s floating. In the far recesses of his mind, he wonders if he still has a leg. He can’t feel anything, even though he’s vaguely aware of Sakusa cupping his cheek. 

Then his sense of self shifts. It’s almost like he’s watching everything unfold from an outside point of view. Did he die? Is this him as a ghost watching now? Because he can clearly see what’s happening. He’s laying on the ground with Sakusa kneeling over his face. Komori and Bokuto are trying to stop the bleeding. Oh, he does still have a leg. Cool. He doesn’t appear to be dead either. 

Bokuto is tying a piece of his shirt around Atsumu’s thigh while Komori applies pressure to the wound. It doesn’t look _that_ bad. Really, he was expecting much worse. Like, you know, no limb at all.

“How tight is it supposed to be?!” Bokuto frantically asks.

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Is Komori’s answer.

“Atsu? Hey! Stay with me! Keep your eyes open, dammit!” Sakusa is yelling between his sobs. “You stupid bastard! I told you not to do anything stupid! I swear, if you die, I’ll never forgive you!” 

God he loves this man. When he said he’d do anything for him, he really meant it. Seriously, even jump on a saltwater crocodile. Who can say that they literally wrestled a crocodile for the person they love? It’s a badge he’ll wear with honor.

If that croc had grabbed a hold of Sakusa, he’d have died. He would have drowned since he can’t swim. It’s not like he would have known to gouge the eyes either. So really, out of the two of them, it’s rather fortunate that Atsumu is the one to be the victim here. However, he realizes that the wound is open and will probably get infected rather quickly if it’s not already. Plus, there are no surgeons to stitch him up. 

Ah, well, he’s not a stubborn asshole for nothing. He won't go down without a fight. Though it is a bit ironic that germs might end up being his downfall in the end. 

Suddenly, he’s snapped back to his body and is looking up at Sakusa’s face again. 

“O-Omi.”

Sakusa’s hand is warm against his face, “Atsu, I’m here. I’ve got you. You’re going to be fine, okay?! Don’t you dare give up. You hear me?!” 

“We need to get him back to camp,” comes a voice. He thinks it’s Komori. 

Then he’s being lifted into the air, and his stomach lurches. At least he’s got some of his senses back. The world around him blurs with motion. They must be moving now. Atsumu knows he needs to stay awake, but after everything, he’s so tired. Would Omi be upset with him if he tried to take just a little nap? 

“Atsumu! Hey!”

“Hmm?” 

“I know you’re tired, but please stay awake, Baby. Please!” Omi-Omi sounds very frantic.

Atsumu doesn’t think he’s ever heard his lover sound like this. Why’s he so upset? 

_It’s okay, Omi-Omi, I’m jus’ gonna close my eyes for a minute…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .... Y'all okay? I'm sorry.
> 
> Come cry/yell at me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TwilaWrites) that I literally made yesterday. 
> 
> Pictured here is a crazy ass man nicknamed the Barefoot Bushman riding a fucking saltie. Yes, he has been bitten before. And he has lived to tell the tale. He's like in his 60s or 70s or something. But this is a good size comparison to a full-grown man and a 14 some foot crocodile.  
> 


	13. S.O.S.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Atsumu is attacked by a saltwater crocodile, everyone is in panic mode. Atsumu needs medical attention, and they themselves can only do so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thank you for all the love on the last chapter! I love you all 🥺🥺💕💕💕 Also, when you don't realize that your fic title abbreviated is literally SOS until you name the second to last chapter S.O.S.... I was only trying to be poetic because there are 14 of them and there are 14 lines in a sonnet and I thought I was smart 😣 I played myself.
> 
> 🤗 Survival Tip: Three fires is the universal signal for a distress call. Make sure you are in the open, and try for high ground unless you are on a beach.

Kiyoomi runs with Atsumu cradled in his arms while trying valiantly to not jostle him in his haste. He keeps shifting his gaze from Atsumu’s face to what’s in front of him. He can’t bring himself to look at the actual injury. Right now he needs to have even just a thread of a clear mind. If he looks at the leg, he’s not sure he won’t completely break down. Bokuto ran ahead to tell everyone what happened and prepare. Komori is running steadily at his side, mainly for moral support. 

When Kiyoomi looks down at Atsumu’s face again, it’s pale and his eyes are closed. No, no, no! 

“Atsumu! You need to open your eyes. Can you do that for me?” There’s no response, and he feels the lingering fear squeeze him from the inside. “Atsu! Please!”

Kiyoomi can’t think. All he can do is run. Atsumu is not small or light by any means, but in times of great danger, it is often found that humans gain almost superhuman strength and abilities. And right now, he’s willing to believe that. There’s no way in any normal circumstance he’d be able to run like this carrying Atsumu in this position. 

It takes at least a good fifteen minutes of running to make it back to camp, and when they arrive, it’s chaos. 

Kuroo is directing several people to help make what looks like what might become a bonfire. Others are using every emergency signaling device they have like men possessed. Bokuto spots them immediately and waves them over to where Iwaizumi has set up a makeshift medbay in the main shelter. 

Laying Atsumu down gently on the bamboo floor, Iwaizumi gets his first look at his new patient.

“Fuck!” Is his first word, which is completely nonreassuring. “Sakusa, bring me every single antibacterial or sterilizing thing you have.”

He doesn’t want to leave Atsumu's side, but he knows that anything he has is going to help save Atsumu’s life. Running to where he has his items stashed, he just hauls over his entire backpack. 

Iwaizumi has managed to somehow get Atsumu to open his eyes when he sets his bag down and starts digging through it. He sets out anything remotely useful. He honestly has no idea. There’s shampoo, soap, lotion, hand sanitizer, mouthwash, antibacterial wipes, and several other items. Currently, he’s very thankful for his insistent need to pack anything and everything he thinks he _might_ need. 

Iwaizumi rips open a pair of nitrile gloves and slips them on before wiping away the excess blood with spare ripped up clothes. Moving out of the way, he kneels by his boyfriend’s head. It’s then that Kiyoomi takes his first good look at Atsumu’s left leg.

It looks bad. It’s not dangling by pieces of skin like his mind kept thinking though. There are multiple lacerations and puncture wounds. He can clearly see where the crocodile sunk its teeth into the flesh. He doesn’t want to say it’s ripped to shreds, but that’s what his hypochondriac rittled brain keeps projecting. There’s so much blood, and Kiyoomi feels queasy. However, he has to stay strong for Atsumu. He decides to focus all his energy on him instead.

“Hey, Atsumu, can you hear me?” He asks gently, trying to stay calm. Atsumu is getting some medical treatment now. It’s better than before.

Atsumu's eyes shift up to meet his own. Those golden brown eyess that he loves so much look scarily vacant. But he did respond, so that’s a good thing. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees that Kuroo has come over to join Iwaizumi with tending to Atsumu.

Adjusting himself, he settles so he can place Atsumu’s head on his lap. “You’re doing great. Just stay with me, okay?” He hears a quiet grunt in reply.

Snippits of the other men’s conversation flicker through his mind.

“Get something to elevate his leg.”

“We need to clean it.”

“Soap.”

“Use this as disinfectant.”

“But that’s mouth-”

“Yes. Use it.”

“Fuck. There’s no suturing kit.”

“What kind of emergency kit is this shit?!”

He’s not really sure how long he sits there focusing completely on Atsumu and talking to him. It’s all he can do: try to keep him awake. He’s afraid that if Atsumu closes his eyes again, he won’t wake up. Stroking his face and holding his hand helps Kiyoomi remember that Atsumu is alive. Sometimes there’s a small squeeze in response. His pulse is still strong, and his breathing is only slightly elevated. That’s good, right?

“Is that all we can do?” He hears Kuroo ask.

“Unfortunately, yes. All we can do now is keep checking to make sure the bleeding doesn’t start again. I don’t have the equipment, skills, or knowledge to do anything else.”

Kiyoomi glances up at Iwaizumi’s reply. Down on the beach, there are three large fires going with abnormal amounts of white puffy smoke. The blinking of strobe lights flash and the gleam of the signaling mirror catches his eye as well. Everyone is doing everything they can to try and signal someone. He doesn’t want to think about what will happen if they’re unsuccessful this time. The sun is quickly sinking in the sky, taking Kiyoomi’s hope with it. 

Atsumu’s entire thigh is wrapped tightly with some kind of medical wrap. There’s a package that says QuikClot on it. That’s reassuring if they had something that can actually help stop bleeding. Kuroo brings over the emergency blanket and hands it to Kiyoomi.

Returning his attention to Atsumu, he’s looking up at Kiyoomi with tired eyes. He’s probably in some kind of shock right now. Whether it’s from blood loss, psychological trauma, or both, he isn’t sure. Carefully, he wraps his love in the shiny, plastic sheet. 

Now that all the medical treatment that’s possible to give is done, it’s really setting in. Atsumu was attacked by a crocodile. That actually happened. 

Kiyoomi recalls how Atsumu’s voice frantically yelled for him to run and was motioning away from the water. Seeing his boyfriend running towards him like that made him ignore his pleas in concern for him instead of himself. That was his mistake. This is his fault. If he’d have just listened to Atsumu, this wouldn’t have happened. 

If he’d have just moved away like Atsumu said to, he wouldn’t have fallen trying to get away from the crocodile lunging out at him. Then Atsumu wouldn’t have fucking jumped on it to save his dumb ass. Then Atsumu wouldn’t have been dragged into the water by the giant creature. 

Watching the crocodile latch onto Atsumu's leg and drag him under the water was the worst moment of his life. He had wrestled in Bokuto and Komori’s hold to try and get to Atsumu. He doesn’t know what he would have been able to do though. He wasn’t thinking rationally. All he saw was Atsumu’s wide eyes looking at him in terror before he was gone. 

At that moment, Kiyoomi thought he was dead. He had sunk to his knees with no semblance of coherent thought left in his mind. When Atsumu surfaced he was the first one down to the river’s edge. The other two were by his side as they hauled Atsumu up and far away from the river. 

He almost lost him. And it’s not over yet, he still can. Hot tears build in his eyes as he tries to hold them back. “You idiot. I told you not to do anything stupid!” 

But hadn’t he promised that nothing would happen? Hadn’t Kiyoomi been the one to say that he’d make sure it wouldn’t come to that?

“I’m sorry, Atsumu,” Kiyoomi cups his face. “I’m so sorry. Just please- please don’t die on me, you hear me? You can’t die because you still have so much to do in life. 

“You still have to go on a Safari like you’ve always wanted to. And visit America because you want to see New York City for some reason. Or maybe we can go to Hawaii instead. How about we finally move into a nicer apartment like we talked about? Like the ones in Umeda with the big windows. Would you like that?

“And we still have to get married, Atsu. I don’t even have a ring, but I’ll buy one as soon as we get back. I’ll ask you to marry me, and then we’ll get married and live in our stupid fancy apartment in Umeda. I’ll even take your name if that’s what you want because god knows there needs to be more Miyas in the world,” he chuckles through his tears. 

“I love you so much, so please don’t leave me.”

A few heavy drops fall onto Atsumu’s face before he can shoo them away. “Fuck.” He gently wipes the tears from Atsumu’s pale skin and receives a small nuzzle into his touch. 

The fondness he feels for his beloved is otherworldly. What would life even mean without him in it?

As night sets in, camp is the brightest it’s been these past nights with the large fires burning. Atsumu has been fading in and out of consciousness, and Kiyoomi’s fear never ceases to cripple his mind. At one point, Iwaizumi was forced to remove the tourniquet to avoid irreparable damage to Atsumu’s leg. So far, there hasn’t been blood soaking into the dressing. Right now, it’s the small things that keep Kiyoomi going.

“GUYS! GUYS! I THINK I SEE SOMETHING!” Hoshiumi shouts, breaking the silence hovering over the beach.

There’s a sudden influx of movement as everyone cranes their necks and squints out over the water.

“OH MY GOD! IS THAT A BOAT?!” Hinata wails.

Kiyoomi hears someone burst into tears and others are cheering. 

A foreign man comes over to check on Atsumu’s status and says something into a radio walkie-talkie. Kiyoomi honestly isn’t sure if he tries to say something to him. If he did, he couldn’t tell you what it was. 

Komori comes over and is finally able to get his attention, “Kiyoomi, a helicopter’s here to take Atsumu to a hospital.” Feeling desperate, he hugs the Atsumu’s head closer to himself. “They agreed to let you go with him.”

“What about the rest of you?”

“Don’t worry about us. We’ll see you guys soon.”

Then he and Atsumu are being loaded in a white and red helicopter. One of the medical staff is asking Kiyoomi in English what happened. It’s awful having to verbally recount the events. Blankly staring ahead with Atsumu’s hand grasped in his own, he talks. His English is decent at best, and he’s sure the trauma and exhaustion aren’t helping. 

The helicopter is fully equipped with medical supplies, and that brings some relief to his addled brain. He himself is evaluated but is deemed stable yet dehydrated. It takes at least an hour to arrive at the hospital. And the building is nothing impressive, which makes him anxious again. He still has no idea where they are. 

When Atsumu is gurneyed off somewhere, he has a near breakdown. His breathing picks up and his throat constricts. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to get any air. Tear tracks streak his face, and he’s screaming out what little air he has left. Breaking out into a cold sweat as his vision starts to close in on him, Kiyoomi grips his hair, still screaming and crying. Is he going crazy? Is he dying? After all this? What’s happening? 

“Sir! You’re safe now, please calm down.” 

He feels a hand placed on his shoulder, and he loses it. Thrashing to get away from the person, he tries to go after Atsumu, but he’s stopped by something. The fluorescent lights are blinding and the darkness keeps growing and growing until it’s all he can see.

When he wakes, he’s on some sort of mattress or hospital bed he thinks. There’s an IV in his arm, and Komori is sitting next to him. He quickly looks to his other side to see Atsumu in a similar situation, though he has several wires and IV lines hooked up.

Turning back to his cousin he asks, “Where are we?”

Komori snaps his eyes up, “Oh you're awake! How are you feeling?”

“Fine. Where are we?” He asks again.

Sighing, Komori gives in, “We’re on an ambulance jet on the way back to Japan.”

They’re what now? When and how did that happen?

“They had to sedate you. You apparently were having a panic attack or something and were getting violent. It took them three people to restrain you.”

Good lord. He hopes he didn’t hurt anyone. 

“When the rest of us arrived, they had already called in one of these fancy medical jets to get us back home. So they loaded us all up and then started checking us out here on the jet.”

Kiyoomi nods and encourages his cousin to keep talking and tell him about everyone else. He notices that the team seems to be sleeping or at least half unconscious in regular seats.

“Well, everyone else is in relatively good condition. Just dehydration, exhaustion, and the works. We all are getting fluids,” he raises an arm to show off his own IV stick, “Yaku got some antibiotic cream. He has a second-degree sunburn. Hyakuzawa is taking antibiotics for whatever is ailing him. Hoshiumi is being monitored for any lingering effects of what stung him, though they think he’ll be just fine. You’ve been out for around six hours now. Actually, here,” he hands Kiyoomi a bottle of water, “drink this.”

He takes it and cracks the lid. The feel of fresh, cool water is almost rejuvenating. It’s crazy what little things they’d taken for granted every day. His eyes linger on his boyfriend, still asleep.

“What about Atsumu?”

“He had just come out of surgery when we arrived. It seems Iwaizumi and Kuroo did a good job with whatever they did. He’s going to live, Kiyoomi. He’s stable. They saved his leg and everything.”

Tears start to silently fall once again, “Thank god.” They sit in silence for a moment before he asks something else. “Has anyone been notified of our rescue?”

“No idea. I’d imagine at least the government knows.”

“Actually, where even were we?”

“The Solomon Islands. We were stranded on one of them named Tetepare. It’s uninhabited apparently.”

So they were in Oceania after all. He’s never heard of Tetepare though. He’ll have to look into it later. A place like that can’t be real with all that shit on it. 

Not being able to stand it any longer, he gets up from his stretcher bed and moves over to Atsumu’s side while making sure not to tug where his IV is connected. Brushing away the loose strands of salt crusted blonde hair, he looks down at his finally peaceful face. His hair is even blonder from days in the sun. 

Now that he’s in a clean environment, he can really see and feel the filth on them. However even now, Atsumu is beautiful. He’s alive and beautiful. While gently stroking his face, Kiyoomi notices his eyes flutter.

When those golden-brown eyes open, he feels his heart lurch. “Atsu.”

“Hey, Omi-Omi.” 

Leaning over the prone man, Kiyoomi hugs him tightly. “Don’t you ever do that again, you hear me? Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

Feeling a hand run through his curls, Atsumu’s voice murmurs in his ear, “If it means saving ya, I’ll do it a thousand times.” Kiyoomi only holds him closer. “I’m gonna have a pretty sick scar too.”

“Idiot.”

The rest of the flight to Japan is thankfully uneventful. He’s glad he was sedated when he was put on the jet. He probably would have made another scene getting on a plane again so soon. 

When they land, they’re all taken to the closest hospital for further evaluation. No press is present, so it appears their arrival has been kept under wraps. He wonders how long that’ll last. 

They’ve been placed in a secluded ward where only certain people have access. There’s not even phones in any of the rooms. None of them have been allowed to contact anyone. This is ridiculous. It’s like they’re being held prisoner. Kiyoomi wants to contact Osamu and let him know that his brother is here and alive. 

After a shower, Kiyoomi feels ten times better. Now everyone is clean and wearing fresh hospital clothes. Most of the team has congregated in Atsumu’s room. The medical staff has let it happen since they too disagree with how the government has chosen to handle the situation. He’s actually shocked no one has come to try and get the details yet. Maybe the medical team is trying to keep them at bay. 

The only person in need of medical treatment at this point is Atsumu. Everyone else is only requested to have a psychological evaluation. Which he guesses is necessary. They did go through quite a few traumatic events in the span of a week. 

“Atsumu-san! I brought someone to cheer you up!” Hinata exclaims as he enters and lays his fucking skink on Atsumu’s chest. 

“Hey! Ya brought Ace!” Atsumu says cheerfully. 

Kiyoomi is unimpressed, “Why the fuck did you bring that thing here? It probably has diseases.”

“Ya know. Now that I know where we were I remember what he is. He’s a Solomon Island skink!”

“So you’re telling me if you’d have remembered, we’d have known the whole time?” Kiyoomi asks, deadpan. 

“Not like it’d have changed anythin’!” 

True. But he’s still going to tease him. 

Kuroo suddenly bursts into the room, “Turn on the news!”

Hoshiumi grabs the remote and flips to the right channel. 

_“The Japanese government has not released a statement regarding the members' conditions. The only confirmation we have is from a video posted on a popular video-sharing website yesterday from Honiara Central Hospital in the Solomon Islands. Some viewers might find the following video disturbing.”_

Then Kiyoomi sees himself on the screen screaming bloody murder from what is definitely a cell phone video. A male nurse tries to calm him, but he doesn’t seem to hear it. Watching himself turn into a feral beast is not pleasant. Whoever took this video can die in a fucking hole. 

The nurse calls for help as Kiyoomi appears to be dragging this poor man in his pursuit to get to Atsumu. Two others are now trying to prevent him from thrashing around in the emergency waiting room. Other people are staring openly and moving away. A fourth nurse comes over and presumably injects a sedative. Jesus. 

_“The man in question has been identified as Sakusa Kiyoomi, wing spiker of the National Team. No sightings of the other members have been noted. The current location of the team is unknown but is presumed they have arrived back in Japan. We will continue to invest-”_

Kuroo reaches up and mutes the television, “Well, looks like the cat’s out of the bag. Maybe they’ll finally let us contact someone.”

Iwaizumi looks livid, “I can’t believe they fucking showed that!” Several others express their agreement.

There's an odd energy in the room. Not unpleasant, though. Even with fourteen fully grown men in close quarters, everything is cohesive. Perhaps going through what they did together has brought about a certain sort of bond or comradery. 

“Either way, someone is going to be knocking down the doors of every hospital in Tokyo to try and find us,” Yaku adds.

Kiyoomi can tell that everyone is antsy. He’d be the same if he wasn’t literally holding Atsumu’s hand right now. Bokuto looks like he’s about to combust. 

A nurse comes in and says that someone is here to take an official statement if they are able to do so at this time. Though there is audible discontent, they end up complying. If they get this shit over with, then maybe they can actually be free. This is headache-inducing.

“Hey, Omi?”

He turns his attention to his boyfriend, “What is it, Atsu?”

“I don’t really remember everythin’, and it might not have actually happened; but did ya mean what ya said ‘bout gettin’ married and movin’ to Umeda?” He asks almost shyly.

Leaning over, he gives Atsumu a soft kiss, “Every word.”

Atsumu’s smile removes any anxious thoughts from his mind. Kiyoomi can’t wait to see Atsumu’s figure draped with sunlight pouring in from floor to ceiling windows with a ring on his finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how's it feel to know that Tetepare is a real place and all these creatures live there? And about those human skulls? We'll learn about that next time...
> 
> And these Air Ambulances are super cool. Like the one that the boys are on... Here's a pic from the website of the inside. VIP Jet Ambulance from Medical Air Service Worldwide.  
> 
> 
> @TwilaWrites on Twitter


	14. Home to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are finally reunited with their loved ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for all your comments last chapter 💕💕 You are all amazing and I love you. So here we are with the final chapter. It's mainly just wrapping everyone's story up, but I hope that it covers everything that you all wanted to see. 
> 
> Here's our last survival tip in honor of our croc wrangling Atsumu 🤗: If you are running from a crocodile or alligator, run in a straight line, not a zig-zag like many believe. While they may be quick, the average person can outrun them with little to no problem. their burst of speed is incredibly short lived.

Osamu is scrolling through his phone with the TV on in the background. He’s waiting for Suna to get out of the shower so that they can go get something to eat. He’s been way too out of sorts to even try to cook anything like he usually would. Yesterday he had this horrible feeling. He had another panic attack, his second one in a week. Before then, he’d never even had one before. No matter what Suna did, he just couldn’t calm down. Osamu felt completely out of control - like he was dying. Suna was honestly debating whether or not to take him to the ER. It was a mess. He feels better today, not great; but at least he’s not going to go on another rampage.

His attention is captured when he hears the words National Volleyball Team. Then Sakusa is having a total meltdown on the screen.

“RIN!” He shrieks.

Suna comes barreling out of the shower with a towel hastily tied around his waist, “Osamu?! What is it?! Are you okay?!” He just points at the screen. “Holy shit.”

“It has to be ‘bout ‘Tsumu! He wouldn’t be like that if it wasn’t ‘bout ‘Tsumu! I told you something bad happened!”

“Hey, come here,” he holds his arms open, and Osamu immediately dives in despite him still being completely wet. “I never doubted you. I just wanted you to calm down. Are you good right now?”

He nods, “I jus’ needta know where he is.” Before much else can happen, his phone is ringing, and he answers without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Osamu, did you see?” Comes Akaashi’s voice.

“Yeah.”

“They’re back in Japan. I just know they are.”

“What are ya proposin’?” He asks as he moves slightly back from Suna and begins to pace.

He hears Akaashi adjust his phone, “That we go find them, of course. We should have everyone check a different hospital. Narita is the most logical since it’s the closest to the airport, but who knows if they’re actually there.”

They agree on the plan, with Osamu asking to check Narita since he thinks Atsumu is injured. 

Suna is looking at him when he ends the call. “Guess I’ll go get changed then.”

When they arrive at the hospital, Osamu marches straight up to the reception desk and asks for Miya Atsumus’s room.

“I’m sorry sir, but that’s-” 

Slamming his palm onto the desk, the receptionist finally looks up at him. “I’m sorry, but do I _look_ like I’m asking? That is my twin brother, and I have every single right to see him!”

The woman is wide-eyed as she takes in his appearance. There is no denying the relation. After a quick call, someone is leading them to the private ward. 

Osamu barely remembers to shoot Akaashi a text. 

**You**  
‘Tsumu is here. Means they probably all are. Might need to use force to be able to see them since you don’t have family relations. 

**Akaashi**  
Excellent. Right now the army consists of nine people. I can get more if needed. I think we’ll manage. 

Damn. He works fast. 

When they finally reach their destination, Osamu doesn’t wait; he pushes open the door to reveal Atsumu laying in a hospital bed with Sakusa sitting by his side. They both turn at the sound of the door slamming into the wall.

“‘Tsumu!” Osamu approaches his twin and gently presses his hands over Atsumu’s face and torso like he can’t believe that he’s actually alive. Atsumu is wide-eyed and just lets it happen. The room is silent, then Osamu practically collapses over his twin, gathers him in his arms, and cries.

Atsumu wraps his own arms around his brother and starts ugly crying as well. Suna pulls up a chair next to Sakusa so the twins can have their moment, though he too is thrilled to see them both alive. 

After a long few moments, he’s able to collect himself. Pulling back, Osamu takes in his brother’s appearance. He’s not sure what happened still. Why is he in a hospital bed? Where is he hurt? “I thought ya were dead! I felt this horrible feelin’ and I thought- What happened?”

Sakusa steps in to speak for his emotionally compromised boyfriend, “It was my fault. He saved my life and ended up being attacked by a crocodile.”

Both Suna and Osamu look at the couple in shock. Attacked by a what now?

“Omi! How many times have I told ya it ain’t yer fault!” He scolds a sulking Sakusa. Then he whips off his hospital blanket and proudly shows his new scar. “Look at this!”

Osamu feels his jaw drop. Holy shit. Stitches adorn his brother’s thigh in four very defined lines. The surrounding area is red with other marks that didn’t require stitching. 

“Holy fuck,” Suna says intelligently. 

He’s surprised his twin is taking this so well. Isn’t he in pain? Is he going to be able to keep playing volleyball?

Atsumu answers all of his questions after a less than thrilling recount of what happened. With every word, Osamu grimaces and grasps his hand a little tighter. After his course of antibiotics and his stitches are removed in around two weeks, he’ll have to undergo extensive physical therapy. Doctors remain optimistic about him playing professionally but recommend he takes this coming season off. However, Atsumu is adamant that he’ll return to the court sooner rather than later. Sakusa reassures Osamu that he won’t let him overwork himself. 

The amount of relief that floods his system is overwhelming. Seeing his brother alive and relatively fine allows his brain to finally relax. Osamu still hasn’t released his hold on Atsumu and doesn’t think that he will be able to just yet. In between Atsumu’s retelling of the things he saw on the island, both of the twins have already cried again twice since being reunited.

The two artifacts that his brother found are pretty cool, even if he’s a particular brand of idiot for taking them in the first place and thinking he was cursed. Osamu, Suna, and Sakusa all smile fondly as Atsumu prattles on about the flying foxes and leatherback turtles on the island. 

After an emotionally exhausting week and even more so last two days, Osamu ends up falling asleep curled up next to Atsumu on the much too small hospital bed.

\---

Keiji leads with his eight other companions close behind him. He was quick to notify everyone when Osamu confirmed the whereabouts of the team. Now here they are at Narita Hospital being guided to see their loved ones after some… light convincing. Perhaps having several rather large individuals throwing a tantrum in the hospital reception is not the most graceful way for them to act, but it got them results. 

Everyone is directed to the room of their desired individual. It appears that Bokuto and Kuroo are together, so he’s powerwalking with Tsukishima and Kenma by his side. 

Yanking the door open, the two men inside stand before rushing towards their visitors. Keiji meets Bokuto in the middle. 

“Keiji!” He cries, embracing Keiji tightly in his strong arms.

He melts into the familiar hold and inhales the scent of his boyfriend that has been absent for over a week. “Koutarou.”

Everything makes sense again. The world rights itself back onto its correct axis and begins to turn again. He’s alive. He’s here, and he’s alive. Keiji can feel tears flowing down his face, but this time it’s because he’s relieved. How would he have been able to go along in life without this man by his side? Running his fingers through Bokuto’s unstyled hair is reminiscent of lazy days at home, and there’s no place he'd rather be right now. 

“I was so afraid I’d lost you,” Keiji sniffles into Bokuto's shoulder.

“As if anything could stop me from making my way back to you.”

When Bokuto pulls away much too early, Keiji tries to cling to him. This only produces a chuckle from the larger man, who scoops him up easily and sits him on the hospital bed. Meanwhile, Bokuto rummages through a bag on the bedside table before turning back to Keiji and taking his hand. 

“Keiji, my love, my world. I know we’re just being reunited, so this isn’t the most opportune time, but I’ve had quite a lot of time to think lately,” he smiles wryly. “And I don’t want any more unforeseen circumstances to get in the way.”

Keiji sits silently on the bed with attentive eyes as Bokuto continues, “Every day that I spent without you, wondering if I’d ever be able to see you again only reaffirmed how I feel about you. I already knew how much you mean to me, but being separated like that- it really put into perspective all the other things and how much they mean to me as well. Like how I want to see you succeed and follow your dreams, I want to watch you continue to grow into this amazing person that you already are, I want to spend every day supporting you like you always have for me.

“So,” he kneels on the floor, “Akaashi Keiji, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?” He holds up a beautiful blue pearl between his thumb and index finger. 

Keiji stares and stares, not quite processing what’s happening. He’s right, this is absolutely not the most opportune time at all. In fact, it’s a horrible time.

Bokuto takes this hesitation as potential rejection and hastily tries to right the situation, “And I know it doesn’t have a setting, but I’ll buy one! I promise! Or if you’d prefer a diamond or something else I’ll-”

Sliding off the side of the bed, Keiji kneels in front of this absolute disaster of a man and kisses him. “Yes,” he replies after pulling back. “Yes, Koutarou. Nothing would make me happier.”

Bokuto smiles widely and squeezes the air out of his thin frame. Though Keiji doesn’t really mind under the circumstances. Bad time for a proposal or not, he knows that there’s no one in the entire universe he’d rather spend the rest of his life with.

Kei sits on the other hospital bed leaning on Kuroo’s shoulder with the man’s arms wrapped around him. Kenma leans against Kuroo's other side. They’re observing the scene in front of them. That was highly unexpected, though honestly not all that surprising. Bokuto has zero tact. Well, it appears that they will be attending a wedding in the near future. 

“You have no idea how much I missed this,” Kuroo murmurs into his wavy blonde hair. 

“You have no idea how happy I am that you’re actually alive.”

“You doubted me? Moonshine, I’m hurt.”

Giving up on trying to scratch away the dried tear tracks on his cheeks, he buries his face into Kuroo’s neck, “You’re annoying.”

Chuckling, Kuroo playfully pinches his side. “And here I thought you’d be proud that some of your history ramblings actually helped me out.”

That captures his attention enough to leave the safety of hiding his face. Even Kenma seems interested enough to fully look up. Kuroo happily begins to regale them of his discoveries and crafts that he made based on ancient civilizations. 

Kei is sincerely impressed and deeply in love with this man. How he managed to stay by his side after all these years will never fail to amaze him. Hearing him talk about a subject that he himself is so passionate about is really just an added bonus. The content smile that rests on his lips is nothing short of fond. Kuroo Tetsurou is an incredible, amazing person. 

\---

This antibiotic cream has been helping a little bit, but Morisuke’s skin is still screaming at him. Cold showers have never felt so good. He’s never going in the sun again. Forgive him Mother Nature. 

After giving their statement, everyone had felt emotionally exhausted and retreated back to their own rooms. He and Komori are mainly laying in comfortable silence but will make an offhand comment on occasion. 

Their peace is rudely interrupted when a 200 cm Russian barrels into the room. “Mori!” 

Moisuke can’t even sit up before he’s assaulted by the silver-haired man. The arms around him feel like home but at the same time hurt like a motherfucker. 

“Lev! Let go, let go!” 

He’s released immediately and Lev begins to cry, “I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?! Oh my god, are you hurt! I’m sorry!”

Feeling guilty, Morisuke cups Lev’s cheek, “Sorry. I have a really bad sunburn. Please just be more gentle.” He opens his arms, and Lev carefully embraces him. It still hurts a bit, but he’s willing to suffer.

“I missed you so much! I was so worried!”

Stroking his silky silver hair, Morisuke calms him down. He reassures Lev that _yes_ , he’s fine, and _no_ he’s not hurt. It takes a lot more than it really should. 

Morisuke’s not entirely surprised to find that Lev is in Japan rather than at home in Russia. In fact, he’s happy that he’s here. He’s really missed this big idiot. He’s honestly ready to go back to Russia. He’s had enough adventure to last him a long while. 

Over Lev’s shoulder, he sees Suzumeda in Komori’s arms. She must have come in after Lev. Albeit much more quietly. The other guys must be getting their own special visitors now too. He wonders how they were found so quickly. Then again, he’s wondered a lot of things in the past twenty-four hours. Like when the fuck they will be allowed to leave. 

Oh well, he thinks. Cuddled gently in Lev’s lap, he’s pretty content right now.

\---

“Tendou, slow down, he’s not going anywhere,” Semi says from behind him. 

Satori stops and taps his foot impatiently for his two friends to catch up. It’s honestly not even Semi who’s dragging ass, it’s Shirabu. He’s a second-year medical resident and just got off of a forty-eight-hour shift, yet he still insisted on coming. So Satori can’t exactly blame him, but he’s eager to see his Miracle Boy. 

When Semi is finally able to coax his zombified boyfriend along, Satori tries valiantly to take smaller steps. He’s about to ask Semi to just carry the other man. However, when he catches a glimpse of movement through the door leading to their destination, he’s off. Sorry boys.

Once he’s in the doorway, he halts his movement, just taking in the scene before him. Ushijima and Ojirou seemed to be conversing quietly before Satori’s loud footsteps invaded their space. However, all he can see now is his boyfriend alive and well. 

“Satori?” Ushijima stands surprised to see his lover, for shouldn’t he be in France?

Breaking into a teary smile, Satori closes the distance and wraps his arms around the confused man’s shoulders. Ushijima automatically moves his own hands to Satori's hips. “Toshi, I knew you were alive. I’m so relieved that you’re back.”

Ushijima, who finally comprehends that Satori really is here; and he isn’t just dreaming, fully embraces him. “I’m sorry to have worried you. Your faith in me never ceases to astound me.”

“I never doubted you for a second. Unlike some people,” he looks over his shoulder to the other two men who have finally made an appearance.

Ushijima pulls back to assess his new visitors. “Semi, Shirabu, you’re here as well?”

They nod and greet their friend. Shirabu all but collapses into a chair after they find out Ushijima is one hundred percent A-Okay. 

“I’m fucking exhausted. Eita, wake me up when we’re leaving,” then he’s out cold. What a little trooper.

Satori pulls Ushijima to sit with him on the bed and asks about what happened. Ushijima seems rather unaffected by the experience. However, not everyone fared as well. Satori’s sure that it’s more exciting than Ushijima is recounting, but he’s enthralled anyway. Any time he gets to listen to his boyfriend, he’s happy. He can’t wait to move to Poland and really start their lives together. 

\---

Tooru came with a large group of people, but he’s the only one headed in this particular direction. It’s not that he’s nervous exactly, but it’s been a while since he’s seen Iwaizumi. It was at the Olympics last year, actually. Will the other man be happy to see him here?

Taking one last deep breath, he knocks quietly on the door before entering. He’s vaguely aware that Hyakuzawa is also in the room, but once his eyes lock with Iwaizumi’s, it’s just them. 

Neither say a word and just walk slowly towards the other. Reaching out, they both take the other’s head in their hands and press their foreheads together. Closing their eyes, they don’t need words to express this moment. Right now, the only thing needed is the presence of the man in front of them. 

Tooru is feeling too many emotions to properly process them all. Firstly, Iwaizumi is alive and seems unharmed. Second, he’s being held so gently by these hands that trace his skin late at night in his dreams. Third, well, he can’t really think past the fact that the love of his life is really here before him right now.

Iwaizumi finally breaks the silence, “Tooru, you’re here.”

“Of course I am. There’s no way I could have stayed in Argentina right now. How could I? I-” He hesitates only briefly before plowing on, “I still love you, Hajime. I don’t know how I ever gave you up.”

“This last week put a lot of things in perspective for me, and I realized that I need you in my life, Tooru, because I still love you too. So if you’ll have me, be mine again. I don’t care about the distance, as long as you’re mine.”

His eyes quickly fill and overflow with an overwhelming amount of tears. “I’ve always been yours, Iwa-chan.”

Finally feeling Iwaizumi kiss him again after all this time is nothing short of breathtaking. How could Tooru ever have been stupid enough to leave this man? He has always been one to strive for perfection, to bring his goals all within reach. Now, he thinks that this kind of happiness is finally attainable. One thing is for certain; though, he’s never letting go of Iwaizumi Hajime again.

\---

Hours later, news officially breaks of the team’s safe return to Japan. Friends and family begin to show up at odd intervals. Hirugami brings Taro for Hoshiumi and is entirely unsurprised at the new relationship status between the two former Kamomedai players. Gao is embarrassed at how obvious he has apparently been with his feelings, while Hoshiumi is appalled at the audacity of everyone to be laughing behind his back. Hirugami is extremely amused as his smaller friend angrily rants while holding Taro in his arms all the while sitting in Gao’s lap.

Hinata’s mom and sister arrive with Miwa and cry over the two volleyball players. Natsu is fascinated with Ace and insists that she needs a reptile pet of her own. Hinata is enthusiastic about it, his mother not so much. The entire Karasuno gang also arrives in various states of emotion. Even Tsukishima manages to make his way over to check on his two friends with Kuroo and Kenma in tow. It’s an overall happy, yet emotional reunion. 

Everyone except Atsumu is released from the hospital, as he is being held for a couple more days. Leaving the establishment is an ordeal in itself. Every news outlet wants a statement from the players. The amount of invitations for interviews and talk show appearances is astronomical. 

The whole story is able to be pieced together rather quickly, from their crash to their rescue. It turns out an airplane flying over the area saw their distress signal and called it in. Search and rescue services from Honiara were then dispatched to investigate. There are now photos of their makeshift campsite all over the Internet from those news outlets who have taken it upon themselves to visit the area.

In fact, the ordeal brings a lot of attention to the island of Tetepare itself. It’s the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific and is home to several unique species of plants and animals. Apparently, it is a large area of conservation. On the western side, there is even an ecolodge. 

However, the island wasn’t always uninhabited. Around 150 years ago, the indigenous people of Tetepare abandoned their island home in a mass exodus. Not much is known as to why this happened. Legend says that it’s because of the Devil’s Curse where the spirits of the island turned against its people.

Needless to say that when the few individuals that saw shadowy figures while on the island heard this, there was an intense bout of unease.

When the official V. League Division 1 team rosters come out later that month, fans are shocked to see that both Kageyama and Hoshiumi have signed with the Red Falcons. However, those in their close circle express no surprise. The team is also based in the Osaka prefecture, meaning that Kageyama is much closer to Hinata. 

With Gao and Hoshiumi now together, them being on the same team makes sense to everyone in the volleyball world. Taking Atsumu and Sakusa’s dynamic for reference, they’re excited to see how the season goes. Meanwhile, Aran is unamused at the prospects of having to deal with more chaos on the team.

Since Atsumu is on medical leave from volleyball, it’s Kuroo and him that make the most public appearances about their time stranded on Tetepare. Atsumu’s story is a phenomenon and everywhere he goes, it’s a topic of discussion.

Kiyoomi hates it. He hates hearing about it over and over again. These people just don’t understand the trauma that happened. Atsumu plays it up like it doesn’t affect him anymore, but in truth, he suffers from nightmares and anxiety from the ordeal. PTSD the psychiatrist had said. 

When Kiyoomi had come home one day to find Atsumu sitting in front of the television watching a special on Nile crocodiles, he almost had a heart attack thinking Atsumu was having some sort of episode. However, Atsumu had just turned with a smile and pointed at the animal on TV and said, _“Look Omi! Isn’t his little smile cute?”_ No, it’s not fucking cute. 

So yes, every time Atsumu flashes his scar or smiles as he talks about being dragged underwater by a four-meter crocodile, it’s a bit of a sore subject for Kiyoomi. However, he’s always there to support the other man. 

The last time Atsumu talks in explicit detail of the event with Kiyoomi by his side is a special circumstance. Akaashi had asked if he could do a private interview with them about that day. It’s the first time Atsumu is completely truthful about it all. He describes everything to the other man, and Kiyoomi is distraught at some of the things he learns. All three of them cry.

\---  
One Year Later

Kiyoomi watches as Atsumu stretches in front of their apartment’s floor to ceiling windows. The sunlight glints off of the gold ring on his left hand. 

“Atsu, come here. It’s about to start,” he says.

Atsumu plops down next to him on the couch right as the talk show host begins introducing his next guest. Snuggling up to Kiyoomi, they watch their friend take a seat in the plush chair on screen.

_“We’re welcoming Bokuto Keiji here with us this evening discussing his new book.”_

_“Yes, thank you for having me,” Keiji says with a bow._

_“As I understand, this is based on the events of the Men’s National Volleyball Team from a year ago, correct?”_

_“Yes. Their story is so unbelievable, I wanted to bring it to life in the most justified way possible. I never imagined it would become a bestseller.”_

_“Well, I have to say I’ve sure learned more about survival here than camping with my uncle.” The audience in the background laughs._

_“Yes, they had several hidden talents that aided them along the way. I sat down with each of them to get their own perspective of the events.”_

_“Amazing. And to think that your now-husband was a part of this ordeal. How did you feel about that, Bokuto-san?”_

_“I was terrified, of course. My whole world felt like it was crashing down.”_

Keiji continues the interview beautifully, never faltering for a moment. Kiyoomi can imagine Bokuto Koutarou is waiting backstage vibrating with excitement. When Keiji had approached all of them with the idea of a book, they easily agreed. It was intriguing and frankly, it suited Kiyoomi much better than numerous interviews where he’d actually have to appear on a set. 

Looking at the man next to him, he smiles. Atsumu is geared to play as starting setter for the Black Jackals once again this coming season. His leg healed extremely well. While he didn’t play in an official match last season, he did rejoin practices late in the year. His PTSD is being managed with medication and therapy as well. Kiyoomi is honestly amazed at how well all of them ended up coming out of this.

_“I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future, Bokuto-san,” the host then turns to face the camera. “Buy your copy of Sonnet of Survival today.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the love and support I've received on this series. I'm truly grateful to each and every one of you. I can't believe this whole thing sprouted from me needing Hinata to come face-to-face with a wild boar in the brush. I know there was a lot going on in this ending so if there is anything unanswered, I'm happy to answer things in the comments for those with a curious heart! 
> 
> I haven't decided on my next big writing project quite yet, and if you'd like a say, I have a poll up on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TwilaWrites) to vote on! Or feel free to DM me. I'm always open for comments, ideas, or a chat!
> 
> Thank you all again for reading my story.
> 
> ~Twila❄


End file.
